Dan: Previously on Relative Race... Kentrelle: Go, go go, go!

Dan: ...Team Red hooked their first victory.

- [laughing] - What?

- You also pick up a benefit in tomorrow's challenge.

Jon met another brother.

- I'm your brother.

- Nice to meet you.

It's cool to know that my family's expanding.

Dan: Nolin learned just how much he meant to his mother.

- [emotionally] She tried to find you, and she couldn't.

Dan: And Carolen met her older sister.

Angela: I never ever, ever wanna let you go.

♪ Dan: DNA tells us who we are and where we came from.

Following their own DNA, four teams are racing... Jon: It's gonna be right here.

Kentrelle: Go, go, go.

Dan: ...to win $50,000... - We made it.

Dan: ...and to find their family.

[knocking] Singer: ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Oh, oh-oh ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Oh, oh-oh ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Oh, oh-oh ♪ ♪ Dan: It's the morning of Day 6, and Team Black, Carolen and Tia, are getting ready to say goodbye to Carolen's sister, Angela, in McArthur, California.

- I've enjoyed having you two so much.

- Thank you.

Carolen: And it just was, you know, nice to know that she was looking forward to meeting me.

So it made me feel really good about this journey.

Dan: On the southern East Coast in Palm City, Florida, Team Green, Nolin and Leah, are saying their goodbyes to Nolin's Aunt Marlene.

- It was amazing to get to see you for the first time.

- You too.

Dan: Team Blue, Jon and Kentrelle, met Jon's brother last night in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

- I'm glad I did it.

- Oh yeah.

Definitely gotta stay connected though.

Jon: It's definitely been a blessing, um, and I'm really excited for the future and a relationship that we can have together.

Dan: In Charlotte, North Carolina, Team Red, Thaddeus and Karen, won yesterday and picked up a game benefit for their challenge today.

- Yesterday was our first of many first place wins that we will have.

I'm scared for the other teams because there's no competition now.

We're, we're gonna take this first win and leave them in the dust.

Both: [laugh] Dan: All four teams have at least one strike with the exception of Team Black, who has two.

- We cut it close last night, but we're not taking any chances today.

Dan: One more strike for them, and they lose their shot at $50,000.

- It was pretty disappointing.

We got our first strike last night, but we're really gonna try and stay positive today.

- Only one strike, that's all we plan on getting for the rest of the race, so we'll be, we'll be fine.

We'll be okay.

- Honestly, I'm feeling hopeful about Day 10.

- Yeah, very.

[phone dings] - I wanna know who's texting me this early in the morning.

And it looks like we already have to go.

Um, I'm so sorry.

I gotta wake up Kentrelle, um... - It's from Dan.

- We got a text.

Let's see.

Oh, it's from Dan.

- Kentrelle, Kentrelle.

Gotta wake up.

Um, Dan texted us earlier this time.

- "Good morning teams, and welcome to Day 6 of Relative Race.

- "Team Red will be traveling to Athens, Georgia."

Jon: "Team Blue will be traveling to Jackson, Mississippi.

- [groans] Jon: "Team Black will— [laughingly] I don't like that.

- "Team Black will be traveling to Klamath Falls, Oregon."

- "And Team Green will be traveling to--" Both: "Sunrise, Florida."

- Okay, let's do it.

- "Today's first place prize is to penalize all the other teams during tomorrow's challenge."

- "Your time starts now."

Get up.

♪ - Let's go.

- Let's go.

- We gotta go.

- Yes.

Tia: Yes, yes, yes.

♪ Tia: All right, go ahead and— Carolen: You drive.

Tia: Okay.

Carolen: Perfect, perfect.

Jon: Sorry, sorry, sorry.

♪ Karen: I've never been to Athens, Georgia, but Thaddeus has.

- Yes.

I know a good route to get us there fast and in a hurry, so I'm confident.

Leah: I don't know where Sunrise is, but it sounds like the perfect name for a city in Florida.

Nolin: [laughs] Jon: All right, see ya.

- Yeah.

Safe travels.

Jon: Appreciate it.

Kentrelle: Still in my home turf, Jackson, Mississippi.

Um, I'm kinda hopeful that I kinda know where the address is.

I definitely know how to get there.

- Let's go, let's go, let's go, Tia.

- All right, you ready?

Carolen: We got this.

♪ - And here we go.

♪ Jon: Do you know how to get to the freeway from here?

Kentrelle: On the Lincoln.

All right, make a left all the way here, and then try to go to the Main Street.

Jon: Yeah.

Dan: Team Blue, Jon and Kentrelle, are leaving Tuscaloosa, Alabama, heading to Jackson, Mississippi.

They have an allotted time today, including the challenge, of 3 hours and 12 minutes.

Carolen: What we looking for?

Tia: Klamath.

Oh, right here.

Carolen: Q14.

Q14.

Dan: Taking a moment to review their maps this morning, Team Black, Carolen and Tia, are leaving McArthur, California, and navigating their way to Klamath Falls, Oregon.

Their total allotted time for the day is 2 hours and 24 minutes.

Nolin: Uh, excuse me, do you know how to get to the turnpike?

Dan: Uncertain of where they're exactly going, Team Green, Nolin and Leah are making their way from Palm City, Florida to Sunrise, Florida.

Their allotted time today is 1 hour and 57 minutes.

♪ - Good morning Relative Race love bugs, with the um, four, um, hearts.

Dan: Sharing the love this morning, Team Red, Thaddeus and Karen, are leaving Charlotte, North Carolina and making their way to Athens, Georgia.

They have an allotted time, including their challenge, of 3 hours and 46 minutes.

[phone dings] Kentrelle: We have a text message from Red Team.

"Good morning, Relative Race love bugs."

Both: [laugh] - Oh, that's awesome.

Kentrelle: Oh, Red Team.

We love you.

Jon: We love Red Team.

♪ Kentrelle: We got five days left.

Um, over halfway through.

We've definitely had a journey so far, but, um... - Oh my goodness, yes.

- Yeah, but these next couple people I feel like are about to hit hard.

- It's definitely gonna be real.

It's gonna get even more real than it already is.

Kentrelle: Mhmm.

Are you ready for that?

Jon: I don't know.

Part of me thinks I am, but, like, a big chunk of me is like no, you're not.

- And you're gonna keep it real, like, it's not, you're not gonna fake any of that.

- No.

But, I mean, besides that, it's really getting, getting answers to questions that, that need to be answered, like, definitely need to be answered.

Jon: Yeah.

- But, I mean, we're gonna make it through.

Jon: Yeah.

♪ Carolen: Oh yeah, we are really close.

- Yeah.

♪ - Woo!

♪ - And we're almost in Jackson.

We're right outside.

- Heck yeah.

[phone dings] - We got a text.

We got a text.

Let's see.

Jon: Looks like we got a text from Dan.

Carolen: It says, "Welcome to Klamath Falls.

- All right, here we go.

- One with the challenges.

- Oh, there it is, there it is, there it is!

Go, go, go.

- Ooh, sports.

I like the theme.

I like it.

- Let's go, let's go, let's go.

♪ Thaddeus: Hoo.

All right.

- "Welcome to Hoop and Holler."

Dan: The challenge for Day 6 is Hoop and Holler.

Using a variety of tools, each team must work together to carefully blow balloons through three different hoops.

However, the teams must use a different set of tools for each balloon, and their balloon cannot touch the ground.

Once they successfully send three balloons through the three different hoops, they have completed this challenge.

- Okay.

Both: We also have a benefit.

"Congratulations on winning first place yesterday.

You have won the ability to reuse an item to move the balloons.

Karen: All right.

Thaddeus: Awesome.

Okay.

Both: Let's go.

Carolen: Looking at the tools, we're thinking the easy ones are the drill machine thing, and the blow dryer.

[whistle blows] ♪ Nolin: Which one you grabbing?

- Um, let's just try... - Take this gun right here.

Kentrelle: I got it.

[hair dryer whirring] [air hissing] [buzzer] Jon: I thought initially going into the challenge that because the balloons weigh practically nothing that the hair dryer would be enough to keep it up.

It wasn't, but we were able to even it out with Kentrelle's tool.

[air hissing] Kentrelle: [grunts] [buzzer] Nolin: Throw it up.

[drill whirring] We thought Leah would use the big f— uh, big fan, a handheld fan, and then I would use a mini handgun blower.

[whirring] Leah: Higher, higher, higher.

'Kay, good.

[buzzer] - Balloons, they're so light.

They just move around so much.

Tia: Okay.

Oh!

Carolen: [grunts] - [laughingly] You have to turn it on.

Carolen: [laughingly] Yeah, now it's on.

Tia: So, like, try to stay underneath of them and keep them off the ground, and it's harder than it looks.

Uh, this is just not working.

Okay.

All right, this can steer it, okay?

Oh!

[buzzer] Carolen: This is not easy.

♪ Thaddeus: Over.

We gotta go over there.

Thaddeus: The first item I chose was a bagpipey thing, um, that I don't know what is called.

[whirring] Mom, Ma, you're pushing it towards me.

- My first item was the dust blower.

I got it.

[whirring] And with that baby, we were able to get the first balloon through the hoop right away.

[ding] Yes!

Thaddeus: Okay.

Wait.

Kentrelle: Switch.

[whirring] Yeah.

What we learned was take a breath, take our time, and work together.

[whirring] You got it?

[ding] Go, go, go.

We saw it, and then everything just started to flow.

[whirring] [buzzer] Nolin: Dang, that's tough.

Tia: Hold on.

Down.

Okay.

It definitely took teamwork to do it.

Down.

[ding] Yes!

[whirring] Leah: This way, this way, this way.

[ding] Nolin: We got one.

All right, what's next?

Uh, Imma try this one.

- The second item I used was a air mattress pump.

That worked perfectly.

It had great power.

Wave it towards this way.

[whirring] Hold on.

Karen: Yeah, you got it, you got it, you got it, you got it, you got it, you got it!

Thaddeus: Wave it up!

Hold on.

Karen: Get it through there!

Thaddeus: Woo!

[whirring] [ding] Carolen: I'm gonna do a handheld g— uh... - There's no way I could do this one.

- This one, I don't know.

- Okay, yes, this one will work.

All right, ready?

The can of air worked really good.

We, uh, you could see the air coming out of it, and it worked really good.

All right, we got it.

Good, good, good, good.

Hold on, we're almost there.

We're almost there.

Hold on, hold on.

[ding] Carolen: Good job, Tia!

Good job!

Tia: Okay!

Nolin: Shoot.

[indistinct] [buzzer] Kentrelle: Oh.

[whirring] [buzzer] Karen: [screams] Oh no!

[buzzer] Nolin: Come on.

Come on.

[ding] There we go!

Good.

Kentrelle: Then I realized that I could use my benefit, so I ran over and grabbed the dust blower again.

Thaddeus: How do I work this thing?

The last item I used was the leaf blower, and that monster was powerful.

No I don't.

[loud whirring] Oh!

[buzzer] Oh goodness.

Okay.

You got it, you got it.

Karen: Now send it home.

Send it home!

Send it home!

[whirring] Thaddeus: Stop!

- [laughs] Thaddeus: Wait!

Karen: What is going on?

Come on.

Mine stopped.

[ding, ding, ding] Both: Yes!

Thaddeus: [laughing] We got it!

Both: [laughing] [whirring] Kentrelle: Stop.

Stop, stop, stop.

[whirring] [ding, ding, ding] ♪ Woo.

Karen: Where are we going?

- "Your relative lives..." - "...at 508 Hathaway Drive."

- "...Athens, Georgia."

- All right.

- All right, let's go.

Kentrelle: All right, let's go.

Jon: Let's go.

♪ Tia: Ready and go.

[whirring] Oh!

Sorry.

Oh!

[laughs] This one is, like, really heavy.

Carolen: Yeah.

With the helmet, you cannot see what you're doing.

You don't know where the balloon is.

- Ah!

[buzzer] Tia: Blow it!

Carolen: Ugh!

[buzzer] [buzzer] [buzzer] [definitive buzzer] [whirring] Tia: If we woulda just got the cross with the easy tools first, and we wouldn't've timed out.

I don't think that we would have.

Nolin: Good try.

Leah: Good try.

Nolin: That was a lot harder than it looked.

- Yeah, it was.

Nolin: It's tough because you don't know what other teams have done, and so in that moment you feel like you're the only one that failed.

♪ [tearing] ♪ - "Your relative is at 533 North..." - "...Southwest 13 Court..." - "...Klamath Falls, Oregon."

- Let's go, let's go!

- All right.

Leah: 'Kay, let's go.

Carolen: 533 North.

♪ - Where can we stop?

Look around, look around.

- I hate this part.

I really do.

- I would go left.

- Wait, wait-wait-wait-wait.

What does that say?

North 8th Street!

- Oh, keep straight!

Keep straight, keep straight!

Okay, keep straight.

Okay.

- Yo.

Leah: Do you know where Southwest 13 Court is?

Man: Nah.

Leah: Okay.

He doesn't know our address, but he does know that there's is a road called a court down that way.

Thank you, we'll try that.

- Appreciate it.

- You wanna ask them?

- Excuse me, do you know where Herman Street is?

Karen: Straight.

Okay, thank you.

- So, straight?

- Yeah.

- That doesn't help, but okay.

- And it's North 8th 'cause we're going to North 6th.

Oh, please.

- We noticed it was on a grid system.

- Okay, this is 7th.

Keep straight.

Keep straight.

Tia: We were looking for 6th Street.

Couldn't find it.

- See, now this isn't a number street.

Go, go left.

Kentrelle: Right here.

Duh, let's ask them.

So we're in a car looking for directions, and we stop at a police station.

Would you happen to know where Hathaway Drive is?

And a lady was in there, and she was able to give us directions.

Thank you so much!

♪ - Excuse me, do you know where Herman Street is?

- I do not know.

He might know where Herman street is.

Karen: Thank you.

- Do you know where Herman Street is?

- We're asking any and everyone, but no one knows where it is.

- Which way?

- There's 10 Court.

- Are you serious?

- Yes.

- Shoot, okay.

- 'Kay, turn around and go back the same way.

Leah: We do find 10 Court, and so we turn down there and try to find the 13th.

No, I'm not gonna do no shortcuts 'cause I don't know how that's gonna go.

But I know exactly where we're going.

Jon: Okay.

- We should ask this guy.

I'll get out and ask him.

- I, okay— - Just pull over.

I'll get out and ask him.

Just pull over.

Tia: Stopped and asked a guy, and he told us right where to go.

- Make a left.

He said it's right up here, and make a right, and it's a real steep turn.

- Okay.

- Ask him real quick.

Karen: We stop at a gas station.

- Do you know where Herman Street is?

Man 2: [indistinct] Karen: Straight off?

Thaddeus: Are you sure?

Man 2: Yeah.

- We found someone who knew exactly how to get there.

- Thank you so much.

♪ - Oh, 13.

- Okay, 8203, 8203.

How did we find this?

Nolin: [laughs] 8203.

♪ [ding] [door squeaks] ♪ Nolin: Hey.

- Hello.

- I'm Shella.

- I'm Patricia.

- I'm Leah.

- I'm Nolin.

- Nice to meet you guys.

- Nice to meet you guys.

Nolin: Yeah, you too.

How are we related?

- I'm your auntie!

Leah: [laughs] Sheila: On your mother's side.

Leah: Oh wow, good to meet you.

Patricia: Nice to meet you.

Sheila: [crying] Patricia: I knew Shella's gonna cry.

Leah: [laughingly] Yeah.

- I'm Patricia Louis.

- I'm Shella Louis.

We're Nolin's auntie.

- On his mother's side.

Shella: I was so happy to see him.

I didn't wanna let him go.

You know, it's been, it's been so long.

- Yeah, we waited a long time.

- So seeing him after 20 years was a dream come true.

Nolin: She didn't wanna let me go, and that was super sweet.

It just felt good to, uh, be embraced like that.

Patricia: Nice to meet you.

Nolin: You too.

This is crazy.

Shella: Oh.

[laughs] - So you guys are Marlene's... Shella: Younger sister.

Patricia: Older sister.

Stella: Yeah, she the oldest.

Nolin: Yeah, we met her yesterday.

Shella: You met her yesterday, yes.

- Yeah, she's exciting.

And so are you guys by the looks of it.

I'm so excited.

I've been, we've been very excited to meet more family.

Shella: Yes.

Nolin: So... Shella: The more the better.

Nolin: Yeah, for real.

- I got a bonus niece.

Nolin: Yeah you do.

All: [laughing] Nolin: You do.

- Yes.

We've been looking for this day for 20 years.

Nolin: Wow.

- Yeah, we talk about you all the time.

Nolin: [laughingly] Yeah?

Shella: All the time.

- I'm honored.

I'm honored.

Patricia: We always wondered what would you look like.

- Yeah.

- And now we know.

- I'm very excited.

Especially, uh, after meeting them, just seeing their excitement and their eagerness to learn more about me and Leah as well.

And so, again, now I'm just excited to learn as much as I can.

♪ Carolen: 6th, 6th.

So yeah, this is— Oh, it was so-- Make a right, make a right, make a right... - We're looking for 533.

- Yes.

Just go and— Oh, that's 520.

Oh, go, go, go, go, go 'cause it's over here.

We, go, drive, drive, drive, Tia.

5, can't see.

- 533.

- 533!

There it is!

There it is.

Okay.

We made it.

[ding] ♪ Woman: We can do this.

Both: Hi.

- I'm Carolen.

- I'm Tia.

- I'm Sharron Taylor.

- I'm Dick.

- Who are you related to?

Sharron: Tia, I'm your aunt, your mother's sister.

And this is your uncle.

♪ ♪ I can't put into words... when I saw her.

I'm thankful that I got to meet her.

Tia: [sniffles] Sharron: You look like your mom.

Tia: [laughs] Thank you.

[laughs] ♪ My Aunt Sharron, uh, is, just has a warm and embracing hug, and, and it was natural, like I just hugged her, and it was just instantly we're family, you know?

- [laughingly] Hi.

Sharron: It's so good to meet— - It's nice to meet you too.

Dick: We are glad to meet you.

Absolutely.

- Thank you.

[laughs] You know, the love of a family member is just so pure, and especially that they didn't know and you didn't know, and then that you come together, and it is just, that's a pure love right there.

I definitely feel that connection with her.

♪ Kentrelle: Hathaway, right there.

Jon: Yeah, this is it.

Kentrelle: But-- what number is that?

Jon: That is number... where is it?

- 508, it's right there.

♪ [ding] [door squeaks] ♪ Kentrelle: Hello.

- Good evenin'.

How are you all?

- I'm good.

I'm Kentrelle.

- I'm Jon.

- Can we shake hands?

Nice to meet you Jon.

- Hey.

- Kentrelle, nice to meet you.

- Nice to meet you.

- My name is Beverly.

Kentrelle: So who might you be related to?

Beverly: Uh, Kentrelle.

Kentrelle: So how are we related?

- Well, I'm the person that knows your mother better than anybody else in this world.

I'm your mother's mother.

- Hey, Grandma.

Beverly: [chuckles] I don't like the term "grandma," but-- [laughs] Kentrelle: What you wanna be?

- We can come up with something else, but I am your grandmother.

Kentrelle: Hey, Granny.

- And it's so nice to meet you.

Kentrelle: Nice to meet you.

♪ I lost my mom's mom, so I need you.

- Meetin' Kentrelle this evening has been an experience, something I have never experienced before.

So this is something new to me.

[crying] Kentrelle: Is it your fault why I'm so short?

- Yeah, your momma's short.

- [laughs] - She's short.

She's short.

- Hey.

Beverly: But um, I've been looking for you since you was six.

I've been wanting you to knock on my door since you were 18.

- Are you for real?

Beverly: Yes, yes, sir.

I, um, I knew you would come lookin' for us.

There was no doubt in my mind.

- For real?

Beverly: Yeah.

Take y— Can I see your eyes?

Will you take your glasses off?

- Mhmm.

- You wear glasses like your grandma, huh?

[laughs] Your momma wear them too, but she wore contacts instead.

- Ah, you do have her nose, and you do have her mouth.

And you are, your face is shaped like hers.

Kentrelle: I can already tell, you know, from the way she responds, her spunk, her attitude, the way she looks at me, the way she responds to me, Oh, I knew she was my grandmother because the spark within her, I have it within myself.

- She's been waiting to see you since the day you were born.

- Okay.

Beverly: And I need you to know that she, um, she loves you.

Kentrelle: Mhmm.

- I love you.

And we have been waiting on this day.

- Okay.

Beverly: We have been waiting on this day.

- I just felt my shield go up.

Maybe some form of protection because the questions I've been asking other family members, I knew that she would be the one that would really be able to answer it.

- Do you know how old she was?

Kentrelle: 16, 15.

Beverly: 15.

That's a child.

So I take all the responsibility.

Not her.

So if there is any anger, anything that you wanna say, I'll take it.

I'll answer any question that you ask me, and I will be honest about anything that you ask me.

- Okay, 'cause I'm gonna ask a lot of questions.

Beverly: Oh, I don't have a problem with it.

I'd rather be his punching bag than Angela, to get him in a better place, and that's a position I'm willing to take so that he and Angela can have a better relationship.

- I'm hurt.

I'm hurt.

- I believe it.

I know it.

Kentrelle: I'm hurt because all I keep hearin' is "We're family.

"We take care of each other, "and if one person can't raise, another person can."

Why?

Why not?

- We did what we thought was best for you.

And the parents that you got, we handpicked those parents.

There were no fly-by-night parents.

We had a bunch of profiles that we had to pick from.

Angela and I, we prayed and we prayed and we prayed until we landed on the parents that adopted you.

Everything that we did was intentional for what was best for you.

Did you have good parents?

Were they good to you?

- No, because now I have questions because I asked them did they know who y'all were, and they told me no.

Beverly: Okay, that's on them.

He's upset, and I can understand that.

I really think that he's a diamond in the rough, and once we get to know him and that he sheds those layers of anger, mistrust, he will show him true self, which is honestly gonna be a nice, caring, smart, kind young man, and I'm looking forward to seein' that part of him.

Kentrelle: This is a lot.

'Cause that means everybody in my life has been lying to me.

Beverly: Uh, I understand what you're saying, and we have a lot to talk about.

You wanna come inside so we can talk about it, get started with it?

- Please.

♪ - Herman, right here, right here!

Sorry, didn't mean to scare you.

Thaddeus: Oh.

1, 136.

- 136, 136, come on.

- My heart is beating.

Karen: Okay, hang on, hang on, hang on.

136D, we're looking for F. Go a little bit.

What is this?

E. F is this next building.

Yes!

Woo!

♪ [ding] ♪ Ready?

♪ - Hello.

- Hello.

Karen: Hi.

- My name is Thaddeus.

This is my mom, Karen.

- Hi, how are you.

I'm Mary.

- Oh!

I know who you are.

- Who am I?

- Grandma?

- Yes.

- [laughingly] Hi!

How are you?

[laughing] Wow.

- [smooch] Both: [laughing] - [laughingly] Hi.

- [crying] I've been looking for my grandson since he was nine months old.

And to actually see him in 24 years, it's a miracle.

And all I had to do was grab and hug him and tell him how much I do love him.

And I thank God for it.

How you been?

- I've been good.

How are you?

- Um, good.

Thaddeus: [laughingly] It's great to finally meet you.

- It's good to see you again.

- Wow.

- When she hugged me, I just felt warmth and love.

Mary: The cheeks.

Both: [laugh] - And the smile.

Mm.

Thaddeus: Wow.

Wow, I see it right here.

Mary: Yes, yes.

- Wow.

- Oh my goodness.

- Um, I actually knew it was you when you said your name.

- Why, how?

Thaddeus: Um, I met Aunt Bunny.

- Okay.

Thaddeus: And she gave me a family tree.

I'm like, wow.

- That's my middle sister.

Thaddeus: Yes, yes.

- Yes, yes, yes, that's my middle sister.

Thaddeus: Yes, so you are the oldest one.

- Yes, I am.

- Yes, the boss.

- Yeah, you got it!

[laughs] - Wow.

- I've been waiting for this ever since you were nine months old.

I've been prayin' and prayin'.

I would go to Baltimore, and I would look for you, tryin' to find you.

I went through Social Service.

Nobody would give me answers, and 24 years I've been looking for you.

And now here you are.

Thaddeus: I'm here.

- Yes.

- I've been looking.

Mary: Yeah, uh, wow, how long?

Thaddeus: I've always been curious.

I've always wanted to find answers.

- Okay.

Thaddeus: Um, just like you, did not know where to go.

Did not know.

But I've always been looking.

Mary: Okay.

Thaddeus: And now we're here!

- Yes!

Thaddeus: [laughingly] 24 years later!

Mary: 24 years late.

Kate: To see it unfold, to see the joy and all of the emotion that his grandmother expressed when she embraced him, he could just feel that she was so happy to finally get a chance to meet her grandson.

- But I've got a surprise for you.

Thaddeus: Okay.

- I wanna show you something.

- All right.

Mary: Come with me.

Come on, mom!

Thaddeus and Karen: [laugh] [door squeaks] - I have somebody I want you to meet.

- Walking in, my grandmother had another surprise.

Man 3: Hello.

[laughs] - Hi.

Man 3: Hello.

- Hi, I'm Thaddeus.

Um, this is my mom, Karen.

- Hi.

- Nice to meet you guys.

Karen: You too.

Man 3: I'm Jarece.

I'm your brother.

- [laughingly] My brother?

Oh, hi.

Both: [laughing] - How are you?

- I'm doing amazing.

How are you?

- [laughingly] I'm good.

Wow.

Jarece: Wow.

- [laughingly] Another brother!

Yay!

Whoa.

How old are you?

Jarece: I'm 22.

- Another younger brother.

Whew, [laughingly] I'm good.

Whoa.

[laughingly] Even right here.

The eyes and nose right here.

Even the mannerisms.

- Stop!

Both: [laughing] Thaddeus: It's kinda freaky.

[laughs] To know I have another brother, another little brother... Hoo.

It's amazing.

[laughs] ♪ Dan: As Thaddeus and Karen settle in with their newfound family, Team Green, Nolin and Leah, are learning more about Nolin's past from his aunts, Shella and Patricia.

- Uh, you mentined outside you knew about me.

I'd love to hear more about that.

- From the start, when she found out she was pregnant, I knew about you.

- Wow.

Stella: Yeah.

So then I now find out that, you know, she went to the hospital, and she gave birth to you, but she came out without you.

- Wow.

Shella: Yeah.

- So you didn't know about that?

- Yeah.

- How did you feel?

How did you react?

- Oh, I was hurt.

I was, like, you know, hey, you know, we were here.

I'm your sister.

You know?

- I was in shock.

Shella: She cried.

- Like, it was sad, like, 'cause she didn't have a baby.

She wanted a baby, so we thought she coulda gave you to her.

- Right.

Patricia: So, I think it kinda-- I think it did more bad to her than good by giving you up, 'cause she just went pshhhh.

- I talked to Marlene yesterday, um, about, a little bit more about my mom, um, after she had given me up, and, um, some of the things that she had gone through, and yeah.

I was very emotional, um.

Marlene: [emotionally] I found out she tried to kill herself... ♪ because she gave you up.

♪ - I mean, I'll never know just what that feels like, but I can only imagine.

And I just am thankful now that she's still here with us, and just very hopeful that I'll be able to meet her and just tell her I love her and that it's gonna be okay.

- If you get the chance to meet her, you will love her.

- Yeah?

Shella: Yeah.

She, she's a really good person.

She'll, she'll be here for you.

She'll give you her last... She's just, you know, everybody goes through things in life.

We don't know why, but you know.

She's working through it.

And I'm praying that, you know, she comes out on top, come out winning, 'cause she's our baby sister.

And I wanna see her win.

- Hearing about all that, uh, my mom has gone through is, is heartbreaking.

Um, you never wish that upon anyone, and, but I also think she's very strong, uh, for getting through that, um, 'cause those were tough times, and a lot of people, um, never find their way back, and I'm just so proud of her for, um, making it back, and it sounds like she's in a much better place than she was, and I couldn't be more happy.

- I mean that makes me feel good that... feel wanted by you guys that if you had the opportunity, you woulda took me in.

Shella: Of course, with a heartbeat.

- And that— - I'll take you right now.

All: [laugh] - And that's awesome.

That was just super sweet, and that's something that I'll always hold onto.

- I can't wait now to get that opportunity for us to know each other more.

Shella: Yes, I would love that.

- We got a lot of life left.

Shella: Yep.

We gonna move forward.

- For sure.

Meeting all these relatives that have known about me, and the way they embrace me, you can just feel their love, and that's all you feel is just love.

That's something that's very important, and that's something that, um, I'm grateful for.

♪ Dan: In Klamath Falls, Oregon, Tia is sitting down with her Aunt Sharron and Uncle Dick as she discovers more about her mother's side of the family.

- Well, we didn't know you existed until just a few months ago.

Tia: Oh wow.

Surprise!

All: [laugh] - I know, right?

Sharron: It was a surprise.

So what would you like to know?

- I guess if you wanted to tell me about my family.

Sharron: Okay.

Would you like to see your mother?

Tia: Yes, I would.

- I've got lots of 'em.

Your mom's name was Linda Marie.

And, uh, and she passed away— I have to tell you.

—in March of 2015.

She had cancer.

- Oh.

- That's her— - Oh, wow.

Sharron: That's her senior graduation picture.

Tia: Oh, wow.

She is beautiful.

Sharron: She was a beautiful girl.

She was very petite.

And that's one of my favorite pictures of her because it just shows how beautiful she was.

But she was in a dark place.

Tia: Right.

- And she was in a, in a...

I don't know what was going through her head.

and then this one.

And to me she doesn't look happy like she does here, and that's just a few years apart.

So she was in that dark period at that time.

Tia: Right.

Hearing that my mother had passed away is, um, devastating, and it's hard for me 'cause there's things that they can't answer that she would only be able to answer.

I need to know why she didn't tell anybody about me.

I need to know what, you know, what she was thinking.

I want her to know that I, I thought that I had a horrible life growing up as a kid, and I really didn't, um.

[emotionally] I want her to know that I was a good mom and I love my kids, that I love them with all my heart.

[sniffles] That I was a great parent and I thought everything about my kids.

I still do.

♪ - And you've got some brothers.

- Oh wow.

- These are your three brothers when they were little.

Tia: Uh-huh.

Sharron: This is Josh.

That's Michael.

And that's Jody.

- Oh wow.

- Josh passed away in 2020.

Michael, he's the oldest.

He passed away.

Tia: Oh.

- In 2018.

This one, Jody, he's still alive and kickin'.

Tia: Awesome.

Sharron: He lives in Newberg, Oregon.

- Oh wow.

I'm excited and ecstatic to meet the brother that's still alive, but I'm sad that I didn't get to meet the brothers that passed away.

- They were left alone at a very early age.

And Michael did take care of them the best he could.

A six-year-old taking care of his siblings, his brothers.

They were in survival mode.

And my mother is the one that was sure they had stuff to eat.

So those kids had a, a really rough upbringing.

Um, she gave up all of her children.

When they got taken away, that was a good thing for them-- Tia: Right.

Sharron: that they had a chance to be loved, protected as children should be.

And they grew up into good men.

So that's the main thing.

They were productive.

- Hearing that all three of my brothers were given up for adoption was a little bit painful, and a little bit relieving that they went to homes that people took care of them and loved them.

It changes the dynamic of how I feel towards my mom and dad that adopted me.

♪ [sniffles] [emotionally] 'Cause I am grateful that they did adopt me.

And I feel that I should've been a lot more grateful to them.

♪ - I love you.

- I love you too.

Sharron: And I don't even know you, but I do.

I, I feel that you, I'm so sorry that you had to go through what you went through, but we didn't know.

Tia: I know.

It's okay.

- We did not know.

- Thank you so much, I mean, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.

I really appreciate it, and I look forward to the next chapter.

There was a lot of hard, you know, news that I received today, but there was also a lot of good news.

That's how I have to look at it.

I'm excited to meet everybody.

I'm excited for what the future holds for all of us.

♪ Thaddeus: This is weird.

[laughs] - I can't get over this.

I'm, I'm excited.

Um, I've known about you for quite some time.

Um, my mother never not talked about you.

Whenever there was holidays, you were always included, you were always loved.

You, I, I've had love from you since I knew of you.

There is no way not to.

And so now that it's here is, there's, nothing can make me happier.

- [laughingly] Oh.

Jarece: [laughs] Nothing can make me happier.

Thaddeus: Wow.

That's amazing to know that a piece of me was still with them.

- So, let me ask you, Karen.

- Yes.

- What was it like, you know... - Having the opportunity to...

Both: Raise him?

- Thaddeus was my one child who didn't give me any problems.

- Wow.

Karen: When he came to me, I had just lost a child.

And I named him Thaddeus because it means "gift from God," and he's truly been a gift to me all of his life.

Mary: Oh wow.

Karen: So I'm grateful— - Yes.

Karen: —to have been able to raise him.

Mary: It's amazing.

'Cause I've looked for you.

We dug and we dug.

Your mom looked for you.

And I always prayed, and my prayer was, Lord, just let me see his face before you take me home.

[emotionally] And that's always been my prayer.

And today I am so happy, and I wanna thank you, Karen.

- I thank you.

- It makes me feel great that they appreciate the fact that I took care of their son, their nephew, their grandson, and now they finally get a chance to meet him after searching for him since, like, forever.

Mary: [emotionally] I can see that you had love there.

But we had love for you too.

And we're willing to give you all the love that you think you missed.

Thaddeus: To know that I'm receiving love from my biological family, also my family as well, love and support, it's amazing to feel.

- This is amazing.

- Wow.

[laughs] - It's great to know that this is just not Thaddeus's family, but they're including me as well.

All: [laughing] Thaddeus: Amazing.

Mary: Wait a minute.

Hold up.

Come on up here, Karen.

Thaddeus: [laughing] Mary: That's family.

Oh yes, yes, yes, yes, yes.

- It doesn't get any better than that.

Mary: Thank you so much.

Thank you so much.

Karen: [whispering] You're welcome.

♪ - Why?

- She was young.

We felt like we couldn't give you the life that you deserved.

I was a single parent.

We were barely making it financially.

So we talked, and we decided to try to put you with a family that would be able to take care of you emotionally, physically, and financially.

We did what we thought was the absolute best for you.

When you love somebody enough, you want what's better, what's best for them, and we loved him enough to want what's, what was best for him, and at that time it was not us.

- Do you know who my father is?

- I do.

Kentrelle: What's his name?

- Hudy.

- Hudy?

Beverly: Mhm.

- Hudy what?

- Weathersby.

- Mmm.

Where is he?

- Deceased.

- Oh gosh.

Beverly: 20 years ago.

Car wreck.

♪ Kentrelle: This is a lot.

I don't think I have any more questions.

- Not right now?

- Mm-mm.

- When I told Kentrelle that his father was deceased, he took it very, very hard because he said that he was looking forward to meeting his father.

That was more than a disappointment.

That was a tremendous hurt.

- This is a lot to process.

A lot.

And I don't, I'm tired of being told how I should feel, how I should react because there is no exact way on how to feel and how to react, and I don't wanna be judged for the way-- what I did do because no one else is in my shoes but me.

Beverly: That's true.

I understand that sometimes when you're hurt and when you're angry you lash out.

Sometimes you don't understand.

Uh, especially with his age.

He's young.

He's really young.

You can can find happiness if you choose it, but if you want to wallow in sorrow and pity, that's your choice.

- I understand.

Beverly: But Angela's looking forward to meeting you, and I hope that you have adjusted your attitude by then because this child was hurt.

I'm fine with him rejecting me, but she's been hurt for the last 24 years, and not only do I have to try to see him through it, but I definitely have to see her through it because it's, it's gonna be the three of us getting through this.

- Um, I can see why my grandmother is protecting my mother, but in the same breath, I need her to understand for her to build a relationship with me, she has to understand where I'm coming from as well.

- We have to focus on the positive.

- What positive?

Beverly: Oh, you got some positive.

I don't know you really right now.

- I just found out my dad died.

I just found out my adoptive parents are liars and all of this.

Like, where is the positive.

- That is not the end of the world.

Kentrelle: That is a lot to process.

- That is not the end of the world though.

Kentrelle: I get it, but it's a lot to process in 10 minutes.

Beverly: You take that and you build on it.

Did you think you were gonna hear a bunch of good news?

Is that what you thought?

Kentrelle: No, I told you I was expecting the absolute worst, but this is a lot worse than what I was expecting.

Beverly: Oh baby, it could be way worse.

You could be with somebody that don't care none about you.

Everybody that you've met in my family so far has shown you nothing but love.

Kentrelle: And they have, and I appreciate it.

Beverly: So you don't see no positive in that.

Kentrelle: I do, but I'd rather ignore the positive and just be by myself again because at this point... Beverly: Well, with your negative energy you will be by yourself if you keep being negative.

Kentrelle: You're right.

Beverly: Because our life is too important.

It's too much going on, too much good things going on.

- Not being able to be in my own space right now and being able to just close the door and have that complete aloneness is kinda hard, especially with people who now want to be in my life and everything like that.

- You got a funky attitude right now, but I hope you grow out of it because we are a family of love.

My siblings have opened their arms and their homes to you, have they not?

- Yeah.

- My feelings aren't hurt, but I was disappointed because he kept focusing on the negative.

I knew love was gonna be an issue 'cause I knew you were gonna feel like you weren't loved.

I knew before you came.

But what of— I do love you.

I don't know if it's enough.

But I do love you.

Angela loves you.

She's gonna have her own expressions of love for you, but aside from my words, what else can I do?

♪ There's nothing else I— Not right now that you know of.

- Because I didn't come for nothing.

I just came for answers, and I don't like the answers.

- You don't-- Okay, the fact that I told you that I love you, you don't like that?

- No, I do.

- I feel like he is questioning whether or not we really do love him, but I've known about his mindset, If they loved me, they would not have given me up for adoption.

He does not understand the difference.

So maybe we can sit down one day and be able to explain it to him.

I was hoping that when you met, when you met my family, when you met me, I was hoping that it would begin to fill your-the void, but evidently it's not.

But I, I pray that in due time that you can start healing, that you can open your heart to me.

- I don't know how to feel.

I don't know what to say.

I know I've always wanted to be loved.

I wanted to be around people who looked like me.

I wanted to be embraced.

I wanted it all.

But now I'm here, and I have the opportunity to have it, and it just comes with a lot of complicatedness.

And I expect that, and I understand that.

I just need some time, and I also need to be understood.

I need this.

I know without a doubt in my mind that, I mean, I need, I need y'all because I wouldn't have been longing for you all this time.

I need you, but I don't know what I want right now.

Beverly: I understand that.

Kentrelle: I don't.

- It's nothin' that's gonna happen overnight.

This is a relationship that we have to build.

Kentrelle: Mhm.

- [indisinct] now.

Both: [laugh] Beverly: I know I didn't get the best Kentrelle today, but knowin' his background, there is an awesome young man up under that, that, that exterior.

If you'll allow me too, I'm gonna be active in your life.

We know it's gonna be a slow process, so we'll go at your pace.

- I appreciate it though.

- Mhmm.

- So can I see what she looks like now?

My mother?

- I didn't date this picture, but this is her, um, she's probably a teenager right there.

- Oh wow.

Beverly: On vacation somewhere.

Kentrelle: [laughs] Oh wow.

I got her nose.

- Mhmm.

Kentrelle: And her teeth.

- [laughs] There is a lot that's going on with him.

It's a lot for a person to process, but he, if he allows us, he will not go through it alone.

This is her on college graduation.

Kentrelle: Oh wow.

Beverly: I hope that someday if and when he meets his mother, that it will be a beautiful, beautiful reunion, and I hope and pray that he realizes that she has loved him all along.

Is she pretty?

- Mhmm.

Beverly: Didn't I tell you?

- I mean, I got her face, so of course she's pretty.

Both: [laugh] Kentrelle: I'm feeling pretty good.

I'm grateful to have another grandmother.

Kentrelle: This is a lot.

And I know it was a lot when I first came in here, and you didn't deserve it, um, but I appreciate you for being honest with me.

Um, I appreciate you for accepting me.

Um, and I appreciate you for being there even though I didn't even know you were.

Beverly: Me, him, and his mother, that's gonna be a battleground right there, but we're, we're willing to go where he is.

She and I decided that's what we're gonna do.

Whatever it takes.

And I, I really think that he's gonna love his mother.

I think so.

♪ Dan: Day 6 is coming to a close, and all four teams nervously await to hear their final results.

[click] Here we are.

Day 6 and all four teams are still in it.

Thaddeus, you had several surprises tonight.

Tell me, who did you meet?

Thaddeus: Um, Dan the man, today was a special day.

I met my beautiful grandmother.

- Hello.

- Hi.

- Hi.

- But Dan, hold on, wait a minute.

Wait a minute.

There was a second layer.

I met also my second little brother, AKA my twin.

- Um, hello.

Thaddeus and Jarece: [laughing] Team Blue: [laughs] - Nice to meet you all.

Dan: So good to see both of you.

As soon as you showed me your grandmother, I was amazed at how much the two of you looked alike.

- Yes.

[laughs] ♪ Well, speaking of grandmothers and receiving answers, Kentrelle, tonight, who did you meet?

- Well Dan, I also met my beautiful grandmother, who doesn't wanna be called granny.

Dan and Kentrelle: [laugh] - What, what do you like to be called?

- We're gonna come up with something.

We'll figure something out.

- Yeah, we'll figure it out.

All: [laughing] Dan: And, Kentrelle, was she able to provide you with answers that you perhaps had all your life.

- Yeah, possibly too much, um, yeah.

- It's a lot.

It's a lot sometimes.

Kentrelle: Absolutely.

Dan: These are your journeys.

These are your family members.

These are your relationships.

But that's the point of the journey.

So nice to know, Kentrelle, that you've added to your family.

And Grandma, we'll come up with a better name.

- We will.

Dan: [laughs] - Thank you, all.

Dan: Thanks for being there for us and for Kentrelle.

- Thank you, all.

♪ Nolin and Leah, difficult day for you, but in the end was it worth it, Nolin?

Who was waiting for you?

Nolin: It was definitely worth it it because waiting for me was two special people.

- Hello.

- My two aunts, Patricia and Shella.

And they're wonderful.

- They look wonderful.

Look at the grin on your face.

Nolin: They are.

They really are.

- Tia, today it was your day.

Tell us, who did you meet?

- Well, [clears throat] I got to meet my aunt and my uncle.

This is my Aunt Sharron and my Uncle Dick.

- Hi.

Dan: How you guys doing?

Sharron and Dick: Good.

- Doing great.

Dan: [laughingly] Oh.

I know that they did have answers for you.

- Yes.

Dan: And those weren't easy to hear tonight.

Tia: No, um, I found out, um, she's my mother's sister, and I found out that my mother has passed away.

She's no longer with us.

But I learned some stories about her and got some answers, so I'm blessed in that respect, and I'm blessed that I have some new family now, so... - You know... [sighs] When I say that Relative Race is real, it goes through many layers and different meanings when I say that.

And one of the ways that it's real is that all of the answers that you discover are not always the things that you wanna hear.

And that's, that's life.

And, uh, and this journey at least provides the answers, even though sometimes they're not what you wanna hear.

But at least it's an answer to a question that you may have had your entire life.

Tia, I'm sorry about the news about your mother, uh, but I hope that for you and Carolen this journey continues, and your discoveries are hopeful and helpful as you move forward.

- Thank you.

- Thanks.

♪ Dan: Six days down.

Four more to go.

Who will finish in first place on this day, and who will pick up a strike?

The difference between first and second place on this day was two minutes.

Two total minutes.

120 seconds.

The first place team finished three minutes over their allotted time.

The second place team finished five minutes over their allotted time.

Finishing in first place... You guys are on a hot streak, Team Red.

Way to go.

- Yes!

Tia: Congratulations.

Thaddeus: Thank you.

Karen: Thank you.

- Thank you.

- And just two minutes behind Team Red, hot on your trail...

Team Blue.

♪ The difference between third and fourth on this day was a total of only four minutes.

Team Green, you finished 26 minutes over your allotted time.

Team Black, you finished 22 minutes over your allotted time, and you are safe.

Team Green, you picked up your second strike, and so tomorrow has to be a better day for you.

Team Red, with your first place finish, you pick up the first place benefit, and that benefit tomorrow is to penalize the other three teams at the challenge.

After six days, Team Red, you have one strike.

Team Blue, you also have one strike.

Team Black and Team Green, you both now have two strikes.

One more strike for either one of you, and your race will be over.

Good night everybody.

You deserve the rest that you're about to have.

Take time to visit with your family and enjoy them.

'Cause that's what it's all about.

We'll see you tomorrow everyone.

Safe travels.

Goodnight.

♪ Mary: Congratulations.

- Woo!

[laughing] Wow, we did it.

Thaddeus and Karen: [laughing] - Yeah, we're still in it, so... Patricia: You're still in it.

- Yeah, we'll see what happens.

- We did not get another strike tonight.

- No, I know.

Right?

- I prayed about it.

I ate salad.

I didn't eat nothin' too unhealthy.

I really was tryin'.

- You did good.

You did good.

We both did good.

- No strike.

- No.

Good.

Can't add no more stress to my life right now.

Today has been a day, and honestly, I don't, I don't know how much more I can take.

♪