Dan: Previously on Relative Race, Team Red splashed their way to the top... - [laughing] [clapping] Dan: ...leaving Team Black to come up short for the third time.

- We not even movin'.

Dan: You've picked up your third strike on Relative Race.

Carolen found similarities with her father, Henry.

Carolen: It was just a special moment for me.

I was just kinda caught in the moment.

Dan: Nolin was stunned to find a new brother, Jaiden.

Nolin: Seeing all the similarities, I've never had that before.

Dan: Kentrelle finally reunited with his long-lost mother, Angela.

Kentrelle: To have a mom, very surreal, very surreal moment for me right now.

Dan: And Thaddeus met his great aunt, Kathy and realized his family has been there for him all along.

- [emotionally] It's crazy how God works.

♪ 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.

Go, go, go!

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

Dan: ...and to find their family.

[knocking] ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Oh, oh-oh ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Oh, oh-oh ♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh ♪ ♪ Oh, oh-oh ♪ ♪ - We are almost at the end and it's-it's been amazing.

- I'm your dad, Tommy.

- Who?

Tommy: Your father.

- Oh, oh wow!

Tommy: Yes, wow.

Thaddeus: [laughing] Oh!

Devin: We're your brothers.

Tyrese: We're your brothers.

[slap] Nolin: This experience as a whole has just been more fulfilling than I could ever imagine.

- I'm your auntie!

Leah: [laughing] Shella: On your mother's side.

- It's been a treasure to be here and watch Nolin experience this.

- I'm your father.

- I figured.

Neal: [laughs] - It's nice to, it's nice to, to finally meet you.

I always thought it was the kinda thing where it's like, Jon doesn't get to feel happiness, that's not his deal in life, but...

I was wrong.

- It's so nice to meet you.

Kentrelle: Nice to meet you.

I lost my mom's mom, so I need you.

This has been needed for a long time and I'm so glad that I was finally able to get the information that I, that I've been wanting.

- I'm your aunt, your mother's sister.

Tia: I have family that I'm excited to get to do things with.

- I'm your sister, Love.

- Really?

[emotionally] Nice to meet you!

This journey has meant a lot to me.

It feels like a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

- I'm your only brother.

- Oh!

[laughs] - Grandma?

- Yes.

- Hi!

Karen: [laughs] [smooch] Both: [laughing] - I'm meeting all these people, my family, and it's been such a blessing.

Mary: [muffled] Mmm, thank you Lord.

Mmm.

♪ Dan: It's Day 9 of Relative Race, and although Team Black was eliminated yesterday, they'll be able to use their Mega Golden Ticket to meet one last relative.

- Not being able to compete, that's pretty disappointing.

But knowing that we'll still get a chance to meet new family members, I'm really excited about that and looking forward to it.

Dan: Team Blue is guaranteed a spot on Day 10.

Jon: We only want two teams there, um, so we're gonna still hustle just like it's a regular day.

If we get a little ruthless, that's just how it is.

- It's game-time.

Dan: But the stakes are high for teams Red and Green, who both have two strikes.

- We do have two strikes, so it's a little nerve-racking.

Nolin: We still get to meet all our family members and so that's what's most important.

Anything outside of that is just an extra bonus.

Dan: One more strike for either of them today will send them home with no chance at the grand prize of $50,000.

- We want that 50K and we also have a benefit.

We gotta do this.

- We will do this.

♪ [phone dings] - We just got a text from Dan.

- We got a text from Dan.

- "Good morning teams and welcome to Day 9 of Relative Race."

- "Team Blue will be traveling to Gulfport, Mississippi."

Angela: [laughs] - Just there.

- "Team Red will be traveling to Powder Springs, Georgia."

- "Team Black will be traveling to Pacific City, Oregon."

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

- Yessir.

- "Today's first place prize is airline gift cards to visit your newfound family."

- "Your time starts now."

- Oof.

Angela: Let's go.

- Let's get it.

Angela: All right.

Leah: "Your time starts now."

- [clapping] Thaddeus: Thank you so much.

- Come on family.

Karen: Oh, it was nice to meet you.

See you soon!

♪ - Oh!

I'm gonna miss you.

Kentrelle: Miss you too.

Jaiden: All right Nolin, take it easy.

Angela: I love you.

Kentrelle: Love you too.

- All right brother.

♪ Kathy: See you!

Singer: ♪ I'm a winner till the day I die ♪ - We are goin' to Powder Springs, Georgia.

Jon: Turns out we're headed to Gulfport, Mississippi.

That's not far from where we were at yesterday, so it should be pretty easy to navigate there.

♪ - See you soon.

- Yessir.

Jaiden: Good luck!

♪ Dan: Off to meet their last relative in the race, Team Green, Nolin and Leah, are navigating from LaBelle, Florida and making their way to Miami.

They have the longest allotted time of the day at 2 hours and 29 minutes.

♪ Thaddeus: We need to get back on that highway.

- Okay.

- So this is the right direction?

- Okay.

I'm trusting you.

Dan: The pressure is on Team Red today as Thaddeus and Karen navigate from Snellville, Georgia en route to Powder Springs.

Their allotted time for the day is 1 hour and 24 minutes.

♪ - Day 9.

Kentrelle: Wow.

We made it to the end.

Both: [chuckle] - I wasn't— - The very end.

- I thought we'd make it pretty far but I wasn't so sure that we'd ever make it to Day 10.

No... Dan: Feeling the excitement of Day 9 and confident about winning, Team Blue, Jon and Kentrelle, are leaving Slidell, Louisiana and heading to Gulfport, Mississippi.

They have an allotted time of 1 hour and 40 minutes.

Carolen: Can't wait to see who it is.

Tia: I know, right?

We're not sure who we're gonna meet today, but we're really excited.

Dan: With heavy hearts, Tia and Carolen, from Team Black, have bid farewell to the competition and are now embarking on a trip from Eugene, Oregon to Pacific City to unite with one last family member— but which one will it be?

And bring closure to their journey.

- One more relative.

Who will it be?

Leah: Coming into today, I don't feel like I have a lot of questions.

And like, I know that we still haven't met your mom, and hopefully we get the chance to today, but even if it's not today, I think we're pretty sure she wants to meet you.

- Yeah.

Well I'm hopin' my last relative is my mother.

It seems like she would be the last one and so that's what I'm lookin' forward to right now.

After hearing her story, I just hope this, like, if we get to meet her it brings healing to her.

You know, we love her.

♪ - Yep.

- Powder Springs!

- Hot diggity.

Uh-oh.

- I was staring at it, but it didn't click.

Karen: ♪ Uh-uh-uh-oh, uh-oh.

♪ [phone dings] Kentrelle: "Your challenge is located at Country Farms Soccer."

Karen: ...Powder Springs, Georgia Leah: "55th Terrace Miami, Florida."

- I see it right there though.

- Yep, up ahead, up ahead.

- Hey, we found it!

Woo!

[car doors slamming] All right, see what it says.

Thaddeus: [chuckles] - "Your Day 9 challenge is Maze Craze."

[DJ rewind] Dan: The challenge for Day 9 is Maze Craze.

Using one hand on the pulley ropes, teams must work together to carefully guide a puck around a series of holes spread out across their board.

Once their puck reaches the top of the board, they must then flip it into the main hole to complete this challenge.

- Okay, we do have a benefit.

[tearing] "Congratulations on winning first place yesterday.

"Today your benefit is the ability to use both hands during this challenge."

Karen: Okay.

Both: Let's go.

Nolin: Let's do it.

Kentrelle: Do it.

♪ Kentrell: You got it?

Jon: Yep.

[pucks rattling] We read the card and I was kinda like, it looks like a giant cheese grater.

♪ Slowly.

Thaddeus: Um, pull yours.

[clank] Okay yes, pull— continue to pull.

Nolin: Now go straight up, so both of us at the same time.

Oh!

Our first run, uh, we were doin' pretty well, we were takin' it slow.

Leah: You pull it.

Nolin: Let it loose, let it loose.

Thaddeus: Mom, pull the string.

Karen: Okay.

Thaddeus: Yes.

Pull the string.

There we go.

Karen: Oh I see, got it.

Thaddeus: So we had to go back and forth, back and forth, until we made it to the top.

[buzzer] Kentrelle: [grunts] Me?

Jon: 'Kay.

You.

Kentrelle: So close on our first time.

Uh, we were almost there and then— [thudding] [buzzer] [sighs] - Frustrating.

- Yeah.

♪ - Now we're stuck.

How we gonna— oh.

Good, good.

[thud] [buzzer] Nolin: All right.

[clattering] Thaddeus: Pull it.

Karen: I am.

- Pull it out towards you.

[buzzer] Okay.

[clattering] ♪ Jon: You, you, you, you.

Kentrelle: Let's go straight up.

Jon: Tension and slack, even the slightest movement will send that thing like, crashing down or into one of the holes we don't want it to go into.

[clattering] [buzzer] ♪ So it's kind of about really just taking your time and going slow.

- Pull yours!

- Okay.

Thaddeus: Hold on, hold on— - I'm- I'm [indistinct].

Thaddeus: Imma pull mine.

Karen: Okay.

Thaddeus: Hold on.

Karen: I'm not touching it.

[buzzer] Leah: [whispering] It's stuck again.

[clattering] [buzzer] Nolin: Okay, it's all right.

[buzzer] Thaddeus: Pull it.

Ma, this is you.

Pull it, pull it, pull it.

♪ [buzzer] Oh my gosh!

We got it, come on Ma.

Hurry up, hurry up.

We got it.

Kentrelle: I say we do one quick one and see how fas— see how far we can go for it.

We have nothin' to lose.

Pull.

[clattering] [buzzer] Jon: No, that's not gonna work.

Both: [chuckle] - 'Kay now let it loose again, I gotta go all the way to the right.

Good.

'Kay now pull straight up, both of us.

Count of three, we'll both pull up a little harder.

- 'Kay, ready?

Nolin: One, two, three.

[clattering] [buzzer] Nolin: Oh!

Jon: Ready?

Kentrelle: Yep, yep.

Jon: Yeah, we were trying our best to slowly, like, at a crawl, maneuver it in there 'cause we really didn't want to start over again.

Kentrelle: Mm-mm.

- Um, I was like, let's just get this done.

I've had enough of this.

♪ Careful!

Careful.

Thaddeus: Pull.

♪ Karen: The biggest struggle was when we arrived at that top hole, the rope didn't give enough.

It's not giving.

Thaddeus: It's not... [clattering] How?!

- Oh, wait, wait, wait.

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.

[intense music] [ding, ding, ding] Jon: Ooh!

Kentrelle: We got it, we got it, we got it.

Jon: Let's go, let's go!

Thaddeus: Mom, Mom— Karen: Okay, what?

- relax.

- Okay, let's go.

- Pull.

Karen: [whispering] Okay.

Thaddeus: Hold on.

Let me pull.

Nolin: A little bit harder than last time.

Leah: Yeah.

- Three, two, one.

[ding, ding, ding] We did it.

Good job.

Karen: [whispering] Why won't you get in there?

This thing is not... Thaddeus: What?!

- I know, that's the problem we ran into the last time.

Pull over some more your side.

- Oh!

Go-go— hold on!

Pull yours and try to go under me.

[intense music] Pull.

Hold on, Imma let go of mine.

Karen: Okay.

Thaddeus: And pull.

[ding, ding, ding] Both: Yes!

Thaddeus: Come on!

- Oh!

Thaddeus: Oh my goodness!

Jon: All right, let's see where we're going.

[tearing] Kentrelle: "Your relative lives at 1526--" - "471 Northeast 46th Street, Miami."

- "3950 Austell Road—" Jon: Let's get it.

Kentrelle: All right, let's go.

Leah: Let's go.

Nolin: Yo, let's do it, let's do it.

Thaddeus: All right.

Karen: Let's go.

Nolin: [hype noises] ♪ Thaddeus: Okay, here we go.

[exhales] We gotta find someone to ask.

- Uh, this guy— Kentrelle: Ask him.

- We realized we were on 54th Street and need to be on 46th Street.

Woman 1: What you got?

Jon: Um, do you know where East Railroad Street is?

Woman 1: Um, East Railroad [indistinct]— - Do you know where 3950 Austell Road is?

- Oh, no, no.

You're fine.

- Thank you.

- But thank you.

Woman 1: Yeah, I don't.

Jon: It's okay.

Woman 1: I'm sorry, I'm sorry.

Jon: It's all right.

Thank you though.

Jon: So we're tryin' to find East Railroad Street and we ask a mail lady and she doesn't seem to know.

[car door slams] Kentrelle: And then we find this guy in a parking lot and from what he says, East Railroad Street is right up the street.

- Cross the road, that way, got it!

Thank you.

Kentrelle: Thank you so much.

♪ - I know this street.

Karen: You do?

- I recently just moved here a few months ago and I'm already familiar with some of the roads.

This is the East-West Connector.

Karen: Okay.

- And the road that we were on, the East-West Connector, and I know this is not a residential area.

Leah: Now we're looking for a road that will take us to 46th Street.

[laughs in disbelief] And we realized the road we're on won't, and so we have to turn around.

- Is this Austell?

- Okay, okay, yes... uh, no.

Is it?

- It is.

- Okay, uh, go left.

- We can go up here, let's just make a left.

- Okay.

He said go this way on the tracks.

- I don't trust him.

Let's go on the other side.

- All right.

Kentrelle: No, no, no, no, no.

Jon: I know, I'm makin' a U-turn.

Kentrelle: What do you mean?

Go through here.

It's a grid.

Jon: Here?

- We don't have to figure it out.

We just gonna have to go through here and figure it out.

♪ Karen: Okay.

Thaddeus: I think it's here.

Karen: You think it's here?

Thaddeus: Yeah I'm getting, I'm getting real anxious right now.

Karen: Okay.

What is here?

Thaddeus: [exhales] Look-look what's to the left.

♪ Karen: Yeah, but I don't think we're goin' in— I don't think we're goin' the right way.

- Mom.

There's a hospital to the left and from what I heard over the last several days about my mom, I'm starting to get worried.

- Basically my mom, right now is, she's in the hospital.

Uh, so I don't know if you'll be able to meet her.

- I really think so.

I'm telling you, residents, they don't go down there.

There's no residents down there.

- Let's see if any of these signs tell us.

I don't think this is right.

[gasps] 3950.

- 3950.

We're here.

[sighs] - Are you okay?

♪ - Oh my goodness.

My heart's beating really fast.

[ticking] [final beat] ♪ Tia: It's right here.

Okay.

That's my bad.

Not being in the competition is really disappointing, but getting to know that we get to meet new relatives is really exciting.

Carolen: Six zero.

Wanna keep goin'?

- I don't see that number on this one.

Carolen: Four nine.

Tia: Is this it?

Like right here?

- That's a house.

Is this it?

498!

Tia: Yeah, this is— Carolen: 49380, oh here it is.

Yeah, this is it.

That's so cute.

♪ ♪ Carolen: Hi.

Woman 2: Hi.

Tia: I'm Tia.

Carolen: I'm Carolen.

Woman 2: Hi.

I'm Rita, Rita Lynn Freeman and I'm your sister, Tia, from your mother's side.

- [laughing] Hi.

Oh, hi.

♪ Tia: [laughing].

Rita: Aww, so are you.

Tia: It felt amazing, it felt wonderful to hug her.

So I have two older sisters now.

[laughing] Thank you.

Rita: It's so good to meet you.

Tia: Good to meet you too.

- So nervous.

- Are you?

Oh, don't be nervous.

[laughs] So it's just like, a dream come true.

I'm a baby sister.

[laughs] Yeah.

Rita: Your journey was...good?

Carolen: Oh yeah, absolutely.

- Can I have a hug?

- Hi.

Tia: Aww.

- I wouldn't have another race partner.

[laughs] - Right?

Carolen: She's awesome.

- I heard I had a sister long time ago but I didn't believe it 'cause I just didn't know so...

So now I have a best friend for the rest of my life.

So everything went good, your trip and... Tia: Yeah.

Carolen: Yes, um.

- So glad you're here.

We're gonna have so much fun tonight.

Tia: Awesome, awesome.

- Can't wait.

- We're gonna have a great time.

You wanna come in?

Tia: Yeah!

Rita: Yeah, I can't wait.

Tia: [laughs] Rita: And I have a bunch of pictures.

Tia: Oh cool!

♪ - 1520— wait, wait!

Stop, stop, stop!

Jon: 1530.

Kentrelle: Okay.

1526— right there, right there!

♪ [ticking] [final beat] ♪ - Hey.

Man 1: Hey.

- I'm Jon.

- Kentrelle.

- Hi, I'm Matt.

I'm your brother.

- Figured man.

Nice to see you.

- Nice to meet you man.

Jon: [laughs] Yeah.

- Nice to meet you too.

Kentrelle: Nice to meet you, sir.

- I definitely see myself.

[laughs] Matt: I-I see myself in you for sure.

Jon: There's a lot of similarities— Matt: For sure.

- yeah.

Matt: Yeah.

Seeing my brother's face for this first time kinda had me thinking like I was looking in a mirror for a second.

- Same exact eyes, uh, same exact jawline, similar nose, it's...yeah.

Striking resemblance.

You grew up with uh, Ian, right?

Matt: Yeah, I grew up with Ian.

And then...

I actually haven't met anybody else from the family, so— - Oh really?

Matt: you're the first one, yeah.

- Okay.

Matt: Yeah.

- Do you know about anyone else or?

- I know about Dustin, but that's it.

- Okay, yeah.

How old are you?

- I'm 21.

How 'bout yourself?

- I'm 20.

Matt: Oh.

- Yeah.

- Not too far off.

- Do you talk to your parents?

Like your biological?

- Biological parents?

Uh, no.

I haven't been in contact.

I actually don't know who my biological father is.

- Sure.

- So... - 'Cause we share the same mom?

- For sure share the same mom.

- Yeah.

- Is there anything that you know that you could tell me?

- Yeah, I was able to speak with my biological dad quite a bit about it.

So, there's probably some stuff that I know that maybe you don't.

Um, I can fill you in for sure.

Matt: Sure, sure.

Would you like to have the conversation inside?

- Let's do it.

Yep.

Matt: Cool.

♪ - There it is!

To work!

- It took us a little bit longer but we might've found it.

- But we found it.

Let's go!

Leah: 200 to so— right here.

- Right here, right here, right here?

But, but, but.

- I think 212, nope over there.

Nolin: We made it!

We drive in the driveway.

I'm hoping that it's my mother.

[ticking] [final beat] ♪ As soon as I saw her, I knew, um, that it was.

And so that was just a special moment.

Singer: ♪ How I wish I could turn back time ♪ Nolin: Hi.

Singer: ♪ I've loved you for as long as I know ♪ Woman 3: [sniffling] Nolin: [chuckles] I got the same shirt.

[laughs] - My name is Angie Louis and I am... Nolin's biological mom.

It was just overwhelming to just see him there in front of me.

You know, you think about it and you just kinda imagine, but it's more than I could ever imagine, to actually be in that moment, hugging him, for real.

[whispering] Yeah, it was amazing.

- Wow, you're beautiful.

- Aw.

[laughs] - It was very emotional.

It was just that buildup and anticipation, it was finally here and I was just in awe and just embracing and it was just special.

Angie and Leah: [laughing] Leah: Yes.

It's been 20 years and like, she finally gets that moment that she deserves and she knows that he's okay and like, that's something we wanted to tell her for years was like, he's okay.

- It is so unreal.

- It is.

- So surreal.

- I've been waitin' a long time.

- I've been waiting a long time.

Nolin: I've heard so much about you and I was just really hopin' that we would meet and that I would just see you.

- Well, here I am, son.

- And we can't wait to just learn everything, just to get to know you more.

Angie: I've been hoping for this moment for 20 years and I'm so ecstatic and so grateful that it is here and I get to see him, touch him.

He's here.

No turning back.

Nolin: No turning back.

- I love you so much.

Nolin: I love you.

- Oh.

Oh!

♪ Dan: Back in Georgia, Thaddeus is feeling nervous as he nears what he believes is the moment he'll finally meet his mother.

- I'm sitting in the hospital parking lot and I'm getting anxious because I'm pretty sure that I'm about to meet my mother.

Karen: Why?

- I don't know how prepared I am to finally meet my mother after 24 years.

No one wants to see your parent in the hospital.

And now it's— this is the first meeting.

I don't wanna see anyone in that setting, so I'm getting more and more nervous.

♪ ♪ Thaddeus: Hi.

Woman 4: Hi.

Karen: Hi.

- Hi, hi, hi.

Thaddeus: Hi.

Woman 4: Hi.

- Hey baby, how you doing?

Thaddeus: I'm doing good, how are you?

- Blessed, very much better.

Very, very, very much better.

Yes, how you doing?

Just take it off a little bit.

Let me see your face.

Oh my— you're smilin'!

Thaddeus: Yeah.

- Hi.

Thaddeus: Hi.

Uh, my name is Thaddeus.

- Hi Thaddeus, I'm Sharon, your mom.

- Hi.

- How are you?

Is it okay if I give you a hug?

[indistinct] ♪ Sharon: [muffled murmuring] ♪ ♪ Thank you, thank you, thank you Lord look.

It's okay!

It's okay!

Who you sorry for?

Thaddeus: [laughs] - Oh my, look at you.

Thaddeus: Her reaction was so pure, like wow, here you are.

And tears just came out because again, I've been waiting for this moment for 24 years and it's happening right in front of me.

- How you doin'?

- I'm doing, I'm doing pretty okay.

How are you?

- I'm okay, um, I had weight loss surgery about a year and a half ago and— Thaddeus: Mhm.

- everything went well.

But unfortunately a little ulcer formed and it led into a little of a thing and so that's all.

They said I'm out the woods, I'm okay, it's just tryin' to get recuperate, that's all.

- You're so beautiful.

- You are so handsome.

I've been waitin' for so long.

You're more than what I could ever imagine.

You are more than what I could ever, ever, ever imagine.

Wow, Thaddeus.

[laughs] I've been waitin' for so long for this.

For so long, baby, for so long.

I love you.

I've been waitin' to say that too!

- I love you too.

- I love you so much.

I love you so much.

You got so much love around you.

Um, who do you have with you?

Let me, let me— - This is my mom, Karen.

- Hi Mom!

Karen: Hi.

- Hi Karen, how are you?

Karen: I'm fine, how are you.

- Nice to finally meet you.

Karen: Nice to meet you too, Sharon.

- Thank you so much.

Karen: You're welcome.

- Thank you so much.

Karen: You're welcome.

Sharon: Thank you.

Oh my.

Look— [laughs].

- You know, she thanked me profusely, you know, for taking care of him as everyone else has done, you know.

And I am glad though, that I had the opportunity to meet her.

- Wow.

Look at you.

[laughs] - It was a moment that... would just be the best day of my life.

♪ Dan: On the beautiful west coast of Pacific City, Oregon, Team Black, Carolen and Tia, have the opportunity to come together with Tia's newfound sister, Rita.

- Why didn't I know about you?

- Uh, I wasn't raised with, with my brothers.

We were kinda all separated.

Well your Aunt Mary raised me, my Aunt Mary, but that was my mom.

- Oh.

Rita: She was Grandma Rita's twin sister.

- Okay.

- Yeah, she was a hoot.

Tia: [laughing] We heard about her.

- She was a hoot.

Tia: [laughing] We heard, we heard lots of stories.

- Have you ever seen this picture?

- No, I never have.

- This is Grandma Rita and Aunt Mary.

Tia: Oh, okay.

Rita: And that's who they are to both of us.

My Aunt Mary, my mom, she held our family together and she would've done anything for anybody.

[chuckle] If your Aunt Mary, my mom, would've known that you were born, she— you would've been raised with me.

I mean, that would've been life-changing.

She would've took you in in a heartbeat.

- Yeah.

Aww.

- Linda and me when I was a baby.

- Oh, okay.

Rita: Yeah, I was like, um, a couple weeks old.

Tia: Oh.

Rita: And she was really young.

Tia: Right.

Rita: You know, she was like 16, 17 when she had me.

- What year were you born?

Rita: '68.

- Okay.

Rita: And you?

- And I was '72.

Rita: Wow.

My aunt always told me that I was adopted and she always told me about Linda and stuff, I just, I had a mom so I never really wanted— I wasn't— I didn't meet her till I was 28 but... - Oh wow, so you did meet her?

Rita: And I didn't know that I had brothers.

I was raised a baby out of, out of eight I was a baby.

- Oh.

- I'd go around and I'm a spoiled rotten brat.

Tia: Right?

[laughs] Rita: And then, uh, when I was 19 I found out I'm the oldest sister out of... Tia: Of— Both: All of us.

Tia: Right.

- It's so nice to be an older sister.

I love you guys so much.

- [laughs] Aww.

- I said I wasn't gonna cry but I— Tia: It's okay.

- I'm so emotional.

Tia: Aww.

Rita: [chuckles] Tia: [chuckles] - I've been holdin' onto ashes of all of our family.

- Rita saved the ashes of my Grandma Rita, my Grandpa Gene, my brother, Josh, my brother, Mickel, and my mother, Linda.

Rita: And I have all their ashes and I didn't know why I was savin' 'em until today.

And I'm like, so glad I did but I was gonna see if you wanted to spread 'em and like, set 'em free with me and... - Yeah, absolutely.

To hear that she had saved them and then today came about and that she wanted to share that with me as her little sister, um, it felt wonderful, like a new chapter, a new beginning opening up and I was grateful that she saved that for me.

It's very special.

Thank you for having me.

Rita: Thank you.

So happy we're doin' this together.

Tia: I know, me too.

I feel like walking into the ocean with the ashes with Rita was closing a chapter, letting the ashes of our passed loved ones go.

A fresh beginning.

Rita: Let's do Grandma's— Grandma first.

Tia: Grandma first.

Gotcha.

Rita: Yeah.

Tia: Okay.

Rita: Thank you for doin' this.

I know you had part in me meeting Tia.

- Thank you.

- Love you, Grandma.

It felt really good releasing their ashes and settin' them free and just to know she was there with me, it was really special.

Perfect.

Mwah.

Today I felt them lookin' down on us and just smilin' and so happy for both of us.

Tia: I feel stronger.

I feel like I have a different outlook on things.

That means everything to me.

So, my life has definitely changed for the better.

Rita: There we go.

Aw, thanks Tia.

Tia: Thank you.

Rita: Aww, thank you.

I'm glad we got to do this.

If we ever felt like we didn't have anybody in the world, now we know that we have each other and it feels really good.

Tia: What an amazing day.

Wh— the sunset, the— it was just like God just laid us out here and just said, here it is, it's a gift, it seemed like it was perfect.

♪ - So, from what I gathered outside, it kinda seems like you don't really have any information on, on Mom or anything else like that.

Matt: Yeah, no, not really.

All I know is sh— you know, she was homeless and... - What I found out is, um, her name is Michelle.

Um, she's had a pretty rough life.

Um, she's been homeless, you know, in and out of shelters, you know, living on the streets of San Francisco.

I was born and she was addicted to drugs.

Um, I was told that my dad's trying to find her, uh... - Currently?

Jon: Yeah— - Okay.

Jon: uh, like actively looking.

Um, but that no one knows where she is, um, is what I've been told, so.

Matt: Very torn because it's not necessarily what I wanted to hear but it's also what needed to be heard.

So at the same time I'm, I'm understanding and, like he had said, um, it was based off the choices that she made and the decisions that she's, um, made in her life.

Got it right here.

Jon: My brother received a family tree with all of our siblings' names on it and was waiting to look at it with me.

So neither of us know what to expect.

Jon: That's a lot of people.

- That is a lot of people.

- Yeah, it's a lot.

Matt: Wow.

Jon: Didn't think I'd have, what?

12 siblings?

Is that 12?

Yeah.

I don't recognize four of the names.

- I don't recognize anybody on your dad's side and on Mom's side I don't recognize Thomas, Michelle, or Richard as well.

Jon: There's obviously a lot more people to find or, yeah.

And uh— - For sure.

- yeah, I wonder if they're kinda trying to do the same thing, you know?

Lookin' as well.

If they wanna be found or if they're findable, I plan on finding them, um, and you know, assessing where they're at in life.

You know, seeing if they were trying to find us, um, because now I kind of have, you know, a couple siblings that are in the same boat as me, you know, we're all trying to, to find out these answers.

And um, it's good to know that I won't be doing it alone.

I kind of thought that like, this whole like, the end of the show, you know, would be the end of the... kinda— - The search.

Jon: the search.

Um, obviously not.

There's still, still a lot more people to meet.

Um, so, I guess the journey continues.

- For sure, for sure.

Yeah.

- Well, I appreciate it.

Matt: Well, thank you for having me.

- Yeah, no, thanks man.

I really appreciate it.

♪ Overwhelming sense of gratitude for this experience, especially now that it's kind of, you know, this leg of the journey is wrapped.

I definitely made a good choice.

♪ Thaddeus: I'm so happy to see you.

I've been searching for you all my life.

I have.

- I've been searching for you from day one.

When I came back from the store and all the police and everything was around and I'm looking at my girlfriend like, what's goin' on?

And when I see them bring you out of there, I said, "Wh-where you taking my son?"

I had a warrant for me for a failure to appear for something I had no clue about.

So they had to take me.

But because I didn't have nobody there for you, they knew my girlfriend wasn't a relative, and my mom was way on the east side of Baltimore, Maryland.

She couldn't get there fast enough for the police to get you.

They gave me a card and said when you get out, you can go get your son.

I've been tryin' every since then to try to get you.

I've been down to courts, adoption agencies, everything.

But the name that I birthed you with is the only thing that I had to go by.

So I continued to pray to God, Lord, what is your will?

Let this bridge be [indistinct].

You was never, ever, ever not looked for.

And I thank you for continuously to look as well as you did.

But that's that much more love.

You got two moms, two families, so much more love, and plenty more to go, believe me.

- After finally meeting my biological mother after 24 years, I'm excited.

My puzzle is now complete and now we have the whole future to build our relationship.

- I'm-I'm gonna give you somethin'.

[sniffs] And what I'm about to give you is the last image that I remember of you.

♪ And that was the last image that I kept in my head all these years.

All I remember is I had a lil' light skin baby— Thaddeus: [laughs] - with [chuckles] curly hair and they always like, why you always got those curly little hairs sticking up, stop.

Thaddeus: [laughs] To see her heart on a piece of paper, whoa.

- Thank you for not giving up.

- Thank you for not forgetting.

- Oh no baby, I can't.

That's a mark there, it's always gonna be there.

There's no forgettin'.

There's no forgettin'.

♪ None.

♪ ♪ Sharon: Thank you Lord.

You're so beautiful.

- Thank you.

- You're so beautiful.

Thaddeus: I don't know what I did to deserve God's shining love like this, but... it's amazing to just sit back and, whoa.

Thank you so much.

- No, thank you for-for goin' on this journey and stickin' with it and but like I told you, it's just beginning.

- Mhm.

- It's just beginning.

- You're stuck with me now.

- Oh baby, I been stuck with you— Thaddeus: [laughs] - in spirit, but now I've got a body to go with it now.

Thaddeus: Mhm.

- Thank you.

♪ Karen: Thaddeus has been searching for this his whole life.

He's always been curious about who he is, where he came from.

And so now to see that he's gotten at least most of his questions answered, he sees where he comes from, he has so much to look forward to.

And so that makes me happy.

It makes me happy to know that he is finally home.

Because now he sees where he came from.

♪ Dan: In Miami, Florida, Nolin finally has the opportunity to sit down with his mother, Angie, and receive answers to questions that he's been searching for his entire life.

- I can't even explain what I'm feeling right now.

- Same.

- I really can't.

Nolin: Yeah.

- But I'm— just like I said, I'm just so grateful for this opportunity and simply because you said that you want a relationship, it really, really blessed my heart.

And to have a second chance, I would never take that for granted.

Yeah, this is a dream come true 'cause he was always in my heart.

And um, I wouldn't have been complete or my family wouldn't have been complete if I didn't get this opportunity to reconnect with him.

It would've just always been that void there.

So, I'm just grateful.

- I was adopted into a great family, um, big family.

Uh, both parents, four siblings, I'm the youngest, and it's just been— I've been really blessed.

Yeah, I grew up always in a loving household, um, had a lot of friends and we had a good time.

And I was always the youngest by quite a bit and so I had a lotta older people to look up to and I'm thankful for that.

Angie: Oh, that's amazing.

- So thank you for choosing that, um, 'cause I know you wanted the best for me and I have had a good life and... - Wow.

To hear that he grew up in a loving family that lo— made him feel accepted, wanted, loved, belong, oh!

Oh my gosh, that's a blessing, you know?

That's— what else could you ask for?

That's a blessing.

Do you wanna know why and what happened and why I went that route?

- Yeah, of course.

- At the time, I was- I was not um, financially stable, emotionally stable, mentally stable.

I was just all over the place.

And although that was my reality, that wasn't the reason.

You know, and I had to carry that around a long time.

I had to carry the shame and the regret— - Right.

Angie: of the reason I gave you up, right?

And it's important to me if we're gonna have a relationship that you know that— - Right.

Angie: you know, so that we can start out fresh.

- Mhm.

- I want something meaningful, I want something real.

And the reason I gave you up was because at the time, I was seeing two people.

And when I found out I was pregnant, the person, you know, that I wanted it to be for, it wasn't.

I was in love, or thought I was at the time I was in love.

I was always lookin' for love.

And giving you up for adoption... [emotional pause] I'm so sorry but it was a coverup, you know?

And that's the truth.

I didn't know how to pick you and me at the same time.

When I was looking for love and just wanted to fit in, just wanted— and I didn't know how to pick you and me.

And I'm so sorry.

And I just, I wanted to tell you the truth, even if it was hard.

I just needed to tell you that.

But if you could ever find it in your heart to forgive me.

- There's no grudges, there's nothing held against you.

There never has been.

I'm just— 'cause I was put in a great place.

- Oh, thank you, God.

That meant the world to me.

I just felt freed at that moment.

It released at a deeper level from my shame and the regret that I carry for that decision that I made.

- I just wanted to let her know that it's okay and there's no forgiveness needed.

I'm just happy now that I get to meet you and biological family and that we can build our relationship now.

- I'm just happy, full of joy, grateful.

Nolin: I'm just grateful that I get to meet my biological mom after 20 years and that's, that's the highlight of my year.

This, this moment will go down as one of the best of my life.

And so, I will always cherish this and I just can't wait, um, to grow in the future.

♪ ♪ Thaddeus: My mom mentioned that she had something waiting for me at her house.

So after the hospital, we headed over to her house and we found a big surprise on the porch.

♪ All: [cheering] - And we pulled up, everyone was cheering, everyone was so happy.

Hi!

Oh my gosh, hi!

And it was my family actually.

[greetings] -...I wanted to meet you... - Oh my gosh.

- It was such a surprise, such a treat.

[greetings] Thaddeus: Hi!

Oh my goodness!

- Mwah.

Thaddeus: Oh, hi.

I have more family.

I can't wait to catch up with them.

It's been 24 years, so it's a lot to catch up on.

[sighs] - Hey baby.

Thaddeus: Hey.

Mary: It's so good to see you.

- You too!

Mary: [smooch] Thaddeus: I was so happy to see them.

It was a great, great feeling.

♪ Dan: It's the end of Day 9 and the race to find family is now over.

Team Blue is guaranteed a spot on Day 10 but Teams Green and Red both have two strikes.

Will all three teams make it to Day 10?

Or will one team be sent home on this final day of the race with no shot at winning the $50,000?

[intense music] [click] Dan: This is a first for Relative Race.

Not that it's Day 9, the final day of the race, but it is the first time that we have included all four teams, even though one of our teams, Team Black, unfortunately struck out yesterday.

And I guess I wanna start with you guys.

Team Black, while we all hated to see you leave the "race," you had that Mega Family Ticket that ensured you would meet all of your family.

There happened to be only this day remaining.

And so Tia, it was your turn.

And who was waiting for you on this final leg of your journey?

- Well Dan, I got to meet my sister, Rita.

- Hi.

Dan: Hey Rita!

Tia: [laughs] Yeah, um, so now I have two older sisters and I'm just so excited to meet her and be a part of the family.

She says I have a huge family waiting for me, so I'm really excited.

- That is cool.

What a great way for you guys to wrap everything up.

Tia: Yeah.

- In a beautiful setting with a beautiful family connection and the ability to reflect back on everyone who you've met and now realizing that you still have so many more that you can meet because those doors have been opened for you now.

And uh, I hope you'll stay in touch with us because you're always gonna be part of our Relative Race family.

- Absolutely.

Thank you guys!

We love you guys!

[chuckles] - Stranger Teams.

- Thaddeus, I'm curious, you knew the streets well, and yet you were confused as you approached your relative's address.

When did you realize that you weren't going to a home, you were going somewhere else?

- My relative was in the hospital.

At first, I was— anxiety was just, oh my goodness, why?

But, it was a beautiful moment because I finally, after 24 years, met my mom.

♪ - Wow.

- That's awesome.

- So, after that beautiful moment, I went to my relative's home and I found a big surprise.

I pulled up to the driveway and I saw, hold on, wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute.

Family: [cheering] Thaddeus: [laughing] All: [laughing] - That's a family!

Thaddeus: Yes!

All: [laughing] - Oh my goodness, um, my family that I met during this journey all came out, um, and it was great to see them on the porch, screaming, and it was amazing.

[laughs] - What a great journey, you guys.

What a great journey.

- Thank you.

- Yes, yes.

- Team Green, Nolin and Leah, on this final day of meeting family, who was waiting for you Nolin?

- Well, today was a very special day and actually Thaddeus, I can relate to you because waiting for me was my mother, Angie.

♪ - What was it like for you to finally look back into your boy's eyes as an adult man?

- It was amazing.

It was amazing.

It was a, a wonderful experience.

- Congratulations Nolin.

Really happy for ya.

- Thank you, I appreciate you.

- Team Blue, Jon, who was waiting for you on this final leg of Relative Race?

- Today, um, I was able to meet my brother.

Um, we look, we look pretty similar so, it was— it's, it's pretty awesome.

Both: [chuckle] - How many brothers have you met on this journey?

- Uh, that would total it at three now.

- That is so cool.

I'm so happy for you.

So happy for you and your new brother.

- Appreciate it, thank you.

- Thank you.

What a great journey it's been.

Team Black, again, we've never had a team back on these calls after they were eliminated.

So now you get to sit back and wonder who is making it to Day 10.

[intense music] The team that finishes in first place today will receive two round trip airfare tickets to go back and visit any family of your choice from this race.

You pick the family, you pick that relative, and we're flying you out there and back.

Team Red, you have two strikes.

Team Green, you have two strikes.

Team Blue, you knew as a result of your placement yesterday that no matter how you did today, you were going to make it to Day 10.

But will there be one other team that you compete against, or two?

That's the question.

And I now have the answer.

♪ And the team that is safe and picks up those airline tickets... ♪ Finishing two minutes over their allotted time, Thaddeus and Karen, Team Red.

All: [cheering] ♪ - That's a whole lot of love goin' on there.

All: [laughing] - Team Green, if you pick up this strike, you were so close, but you will not be going to Day 10.

Team Blue, if you pick up this strike, you're going to Day 10 still, but you'll be competing against two teams instead of one.

One of you finished five minutes over your allotted time.

The other team finished six minutes over their allotted time.

60 seconds.

♪ Team Green, you finished five minutes over your allotted time.

Team Blue, you finished 60 seconds behind, 6 minutes over your allotted time.

And that means that we have Team Red, Team Green, and Team Blue headed to our final day.

A day of challenges awaits you.

One of you will be receiving a check for $50,000.

You guys wanna know where you're headed for the final day?

Day 10 of Relative Race?

- Yes.

- Team Red, not that far away, you're headed just south of Atlanta to Forsyth, Georgia.

But for the other two teams, pack your bags.

And for all three of you, remember, tomorrow, it's about family but also, $50,000.

Think about that when you go to bed tonight.

And I look forward to seeing you all for Day 10 of Relative Race.

- Good luck guys!

All: Thank you!

Carolen: Good luck.

- [whoops] We made it, we made it.

- I was so shocked.

- Wow, I was just holding my breath in.

- I know.

Kentrelle: Ugh.

- Two teams to beat instead of one.

Kentrelle: Mhm.

- I was disappointed, uh, and a little upset.

But it's not a loss by any means.

It just makes life a little bit more difficult.

- We were able to stay in the race— - Yeah.

- and meet more family, I just wish everybody the best of luck.

- Absolutely.

Carolen: I can't wait to see who win.

- I know, I know, right?

All: [cheering] - We did the job today, got first place.

Now let's kill this finale.

♪