Dan: Previously on Relative Race.

- I am disappointed, I'm upset we didn't make it to the finish.

Dan: Two teams have struck out.

You have picked up your third strike.

Team Black has a golden ticket, and will meet one last relative.

JT, Steven, and the twins, Pamela and Christine, all learned their mothers have passed away.

- And I'm... so sad that she's not here.

- And that hurts me so much that you didn't have the chance to meet her.

- I'm so sorry.

- No, I mean...

I mean, I knew this was a possibility, right?

- Would you like to, would you like to put a face to your dad?

Dan: They also learned their fathers are alive, which gives them hope for a chance to meet them.

- Is dad still alive?

- Yeah.

- [joyous laughter] Monique: He has, um, like, one of the polaroids that I have of you two girls.

Pamela: Now that we've learned so much and we know he's still alive, now it's like the questions are aflood.

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

Following their own DNA, four teams are racing.

- Love you!

- Pedal to the metal.

Dan: To win $50,000-- Christine: Go, go!

Dan: And to find their family.

[knocking] Singers: ♪ Oh oh oh oh ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh oh ♪ ♪ Oh oh oh oh ♪ ♪ Dan: It's Day Nine of Relative Race, the last day our teams will race to meet new family.

Teams Red and Black both have been eliminated from the competition; however, Team Black is using their golden ticket to meet their final relative today.

Team Blue has made it this far without receiving a single strike, while Team Green has only one strike, and so, for the first time in Relative Race history, Teams Green and Blue will automatically advance to Day Ten and compete for $50,000.

Susan: We're gonna go out with a win.

- Yeah.

- Just like we've been doin' all along.

- We wanna get at least one W before Day Ten, so today, we're gonna win.

Dan: Today, Team Black, Pam and Christine, are in Lake Havasu City, where they can relax, with no pressure of racing, to meet their new relative.

Team Green is starting their race in Bullhead, Arizona.

Team Blue is in Jackson, Mississippi, where Kaleigh met her first relative on this race, her cousin Madeline.

JT: 'Sup, everybody?

- Mornin'!

- It is Day Nine.

- Day Nine!

We made it.

- Comin' into this race, we never expected to make it to Day Nine without any strikes.

It's a miracle, and we're gonna try to finish this thing out with no strikes.

- You got to meet somebody.

- I did get to meet somebody, it was the best, she was awesome.

She answered so many questions for me that I've never had answered before.

My dad was the absolute best.

Madeline is absolutely amazing, she reminds me of my family, she's just a lot of fun.

I absolutely love her.

- Time to go.

See y'all later.

- Bye!

[gentle music] Dan: On the shores of Lake Mohave, Stephen and Susan are enjoying their morning with Steven's sister, Becky.

- Knowing that we're already going to Day Ten, uh, takes all the stress out of the race.

We can just soak in the last remaining day, and not have the pressure of the race, and just be able to actually spend the time and be in the moment.

- So Becky, I got some pictures of my mom when she was younger.

Uh, that's her.

Becky: Wow.

Steve: Yeah, and she went by Charlie.

Becky: Really?

Steve: Mm-hm.

Her name was Charlene Philbrook, but she went by Charlie.

Becky: I can't imagine what it would be like to finally see your parents at the age of forty, you know, I mean, not knowing, you know, I, I don't know what that would be like.

- It's, um, it's special.

[laughter] Steve: I'm sad that the race is coming to an end.

This has been an amazing journey, I could've never done this on my own.

- And every day has just been full of surprises, and...

I'm sad that it's coming to an end.

Steve: There's uh, a lot of people that I haven't met that I want to, but you know, most of all, I'd like to meet Billy Ray, my father, I would...

I very much wanna meet him.

[emotional music] [dramatic music, ticking clock] ♪ [text notification] - We got a text from Dan!

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

Team Blue will be traveling to--" Both: "Kosciusko, Mississippi."

- "And Team Green will be traveling to Surprise, Arizona."

- "Today's first place prize is a box of gourmet steaks "for you and each of the relatives you have met on this journey."

- "Your time starts now?!"

We gotta go!

- Oh, geez.

- "Time starts now."

Steve: Ohh, love you!

Becky: Love you, bye, bye, bye!

- Want them steaks.

- Bye, Becky!

Bye, sis!

JT: All right.

Kaleigh: It's so heavy!

- Surprise, Surprise!

Here we go.

- That's back the way we came!

- Today we are headed to Surprise, Arizona.

- Surprise!

Kaleigh: C'mon!

- Bye!

- Oh, bye.

JT: Yes, ma'am.

We know Team Green's gonna give it their all today, I would expect no less from them, and so we're gonna do the same thing.

Susan: We are, uh, fully looking forward to shutting down Team Blue completely.

- Yeah, no first for them.

Hopefully.

And a strike!

Then we'll be tied.

- Yeah.

JT: Team Green's gonna have an advantage over us at the challenge, so we know our navigation's gotta be on point today, and then we gotta do good at our challenge.

♪ Dan: In Lake Havasu, Arizona, Team Black, Pam and Christine, are saying good-bye to their sisters, Samantha and Rachel.

They may be out of the competition, but are still anxious to meet their final family member of the journey.

- All right!

Sam: Hey, you guys got everything?

Pamela: Yeah, we got everything.

Christine: Yeah, think so.

Sam: Awesome.

How are you guys feeling?

- Feeling good.

- Yeah, I'm excited.

- Feeling good.

Pamela: Gonna get to see our last family member with our golden ticket.

- Yeah!

Rachel: That's so exciting.

- It's strange to know that we're not competing with the other teams today.

- But we still have one more family member to meet.

It's our biological father, Arnold, so we're still very hopeful that that's gonna happen.

[text notification] - Got a text.

"Good morning, Team Black.

"While your race has ended, "your journey to find family continues for one more day.

Your relative lives at 927 Violet Rose Lane--" - Violet Rose, how cute!

- "Las Vegas, Nevada!"

Goin' to Vegas, baby!

- Cool.

[laughter] - Thank you so much.

For all the pictures, sharing all those memories and knowledge with us... - So we say good-bye to our new half-sisters Rachel and Sam.

Sam: Drive safe.

- We will, thank you!

- You're welcome!

- And we're headed to our next relative in Vegas!

Dan: Having a golden ticket that guarantees them the opportunity to meet one last relative, Team Black, Pam and Christine, are leaving Lake Havasu City, Arizona, and will make their way to Las Vegas, Nevada.

♪ [rock music] Kaleigh: It doesn't matter if we get a strike today or not, like... - Yeah, but I don't wanna get a strike, so.

- Exactly, like, we still don't wanna get it.

Dan: Strike-free after nine days, Team Blue, JT and Kaleigh, are still not letting up.

They're departing Jackson, Mississippi and heading to Kosciusko, Mississippi.

They have an allotted time of one hour and 28 minutes.

Kaleigh: It's like, it doesn't matter, but it's still in our heads, we're like, "You have to go, you have to go, go, go, go!"

And that's all we know.

♪ Steve: We did it, baby.

We did it.

- Yeah, we did.

- Not only did we do it, we did it good!

- Yeah, I'm-- - We did it good!

- I'm proud of us.

- Team Blue's gettin' a strike today, then we're gonna be tied, except for we got more wins.

Dan: Having won first place six out of eight days so far on this race, Team Green, Stephen and Susan, are not about to let Team Blue get away with an untarnished track record.

They'll be racing from Bullhead City, Arizona to Surprise, Arizona.

Their allotted time is three hours and nine minutes.

- So I wanna text Team Blue about the steaks.

- Okay.

What're you gonna say?

- [laughs] Those are my steaks!

[laughter] ♪ Pamela: I don't know who else it could be on his side of the family.

- Right.

- 'Cause we've met our siblings on his side.

- On Day Three, we were fortunate enough to see some pictures, um, of our biological father Arnold when we met our sister, Brenda.

Christine: Our biological father!

Pamela: Wow!

- Wow.

Then we met our sister Monique, and we were able to learn more about his life, more about his story, and that was great!

- Here is pictures of mom and dad when they got married.

Pamela: We're really hopeful that we'll get to meet our biological father Arnold, and ask him the questions that we have.

It just makes sense it would be him.

Christine: Right, I agree.

- I mean, I know it doesn't have to be.

- Yeah.

I know it doesn't have to be him, but... Susan: Really, really hopeful that it is.

- This is the last relative we're meeting today.

- Knowing that this is the last day of the race, I was really hoping to get a chance to meet my father, but from the things I've learned along the race, I know that that might not happen.

- It's crazy.

Like, we just started this whole process, like... it's hard to believe that we're actually... - We're here.

- Just that everyone's sayin', you know, if... they, they don't know if he knew or not, but they believe if he had, you would've been a part of his life, if he had known.

- Obviously, if I didn't get adopted, I wouldn't have my kids, and I wouldn't have you, so I'm grateful for my life.

Like, I love my life.

But knowing that is, is... - Yeah.

Pamela: He's a very important part of the puzzle, and it's, it means a lot that all these people are willing to meet us, 'cause they don't have to do this, they don't have to do anything, you know what I mean?

And I'm thankful for that, you know, for all the people involved.

- Yeah.

- I'm ready to met 'im.

[soft music] [ringtone] - Hello?

- Hey!

- Hey, Monique!

- Hey, Mo!

Christine: Thank you!

We're driving to Vegas.

[laughs] - Thank you!

- Thank you so much!

Both: All right, we love you!

- All right, bye!

- Bye!

[beep] - Aww, that's so great to hear from her.

[sounds of traffic] - Where are we?

- It's not good when the navigator says, "Where are we?"

- [abrupt laugh] Susan: Entering Surprise!

- So we made it to... - Surprise!

- Easy, easy.

This is Kosciusko, there's not a lot of those signs around.

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

- Hurry!

- Okay.

- Please don't fall into the ditch.

Okay.

All right, let's go.

Susan: C'mon, c'mon, c'mon!

Steve: Okay, let's go!

Kaleigh: You go down first.

Oh, don't fall!

Ew!

JT: C'mon!

Susan: Hurry, hurry!

C'mon, c'mon, c'mon!

[camera shutters] - Yeah, go, go, go!

JT: Can't believe we're in a ditch.

- I can.

- [laughs] [text notification] [rock music] ♪ C'mon, Dan, get us out of this ditch.

[text notification] - "Welcome to Koscisuko, Mississippi."

- "Welcome to Surprise, your challenge is located at--" - "201 Love Road."

- Let's go, let's go!

Kaleigh: C'mon!

- Let's go!

Kaleigh: That's why we're the team to beat.

'Cause we will get down and dirty in a ditch!

♪ Steve: Since we're both going to Day Ten, what's really on the line are these steaks and our pride, and both are a big deal.

Susan: We're winnin' those steaks.

Steve: Yeah!

[record scratch] Let's go, Team Green!

- Steve!

- Sorry.

♪ Whoa, whoa, whoa.

"Get Over It."

Dan: Day Nine's challenge is Get Over It.

Teams must work together to build a mobile platform to transport their props from one table to the other.

However, if a player or their prop touches the ground, they must start over.

Once teams have set all items on the other table, this challenge is complete.

[intense music] Susan: All right, c'mon, c'mon.

What do I do?

C'mon!

- I gotta read it!

- Hurry, I was ready to start.

- All right.

"Congratulations on yesterday's win; "for your benefit, you may choose one item "to place on the other table before you start.

Good luck!"

Susan: Hmm, bowling ball.

Steve: So we chose the bowling ball, because there was no holes, and it was like, the heaviest, it was awkward.

Susan: Careful, don't fall over.

Kaleigh: The only thing that I'm nervous about is the cylinders rolling out from underneath us, but I feel as long as we keep weight on 'em, we'll be okay.

Don't put it right on top of each other like that, put it on the other cylinder we're already on.

JT: At the fire department, we have to walk on ladders layin' down, like we're walkin' a roof that has no roof.

Steve: Hold on, I don't see how this is going to-- nope.

Ah.

[buzzer] Susan: Start over.

- Put the stuff down, baby.

We gotta think about this, we can't just go blindly.

- Well-- - I know, just... chill out.

Kaleigh: Here.

Good and tight.

Can you breathe?

- Yeah.

Kaleigh: Since Team Green wanted to piggyback over us last night to get first place, we're gonna name our sloth-- Both: Steve!

Kaleigh: That's a lot of balancin'.

Our strategy at this point is just puttin' one foot in front of the other, workin' with it as we go, instead of tryin' to pre-plan too much.

JT: All right, come get your weight on this little bitty thing.

Kaleigh: Oh, goodness.

JT: We're layin' the boards out, scootin' the columns with the boards, it's goin' smooth, gettin' the weight distribution, everything's goin' perfect.

- You're-- look at how much you're wasting space here.

Steve: Baby, just-- just trust me, okay?

Ooh.

Susan: When we first started, we didn't have a defined strategy, so we decided to start arguin' a little bit.

- [laughs] It didn't work.

Susan: Don't fall, baby, just take a breath and calm down.

- C'mon, you have to come over with me.

- And do what?

Cross you?

- Yeah.

We have to build this thing as we go.

- Okay.

You should let me go first.

Steve: Okay, c'mon.

Susan: I quickly realize that this is the snippiest we've been this entire trip; maybe Day Nine and the heat is getting to us.

Okay, I need you to calm down.

You're spazzin' out a little.

No!

I'm not giving you this.

- You're, you're carryin' everything.

- Yeah, well... ♪ - Hold on, try to put some weight on this end with this thing.

We're halfway there right now, we are so close, and we're keepin' a good steady pace, we're not gonna rush it, we're just gonna keep doin' what we're doin' and get across.

JT: Atta girl.

We're carrying a large tube with a six-pound ball in it, a large sloth, and a bowling ball.

That's a lot to handle.

- It's too far, give me the stuffed animal.

- Calm down.

- Give me the stuff, baby.

- Take it.

Don't drop it.

Calm down.

- If you tell me to calm down one more time, I'm gonna push you off this thing.

- Do you need the cylinder?

- Uh, we kinda have to bring it with us anyway.

- I know, do you need it, though?

- No, I don't need it.

Kaleigh: So I can go ahead and give this to you, and you can go ahead and set it up, and I'll grab this.

- Give me that stuff.

- Hold on.

- Gimme that stuff!

- Wow, baby, come on!

Susan: Baby, we're fine!

Just... don't throw a fit, come on.

[laughs] JT: Finally, we get our last board put in place, and all's we gotta do now is just get everything over without falling off and messing up.

- Or dropping anything.

JT: I'm gonna put this down, I'll be right back.

- Okay.

[nervous laughter] JT: Hold on!

- My life just flashed before my eyes!

You have no idea, okay.

Whew!

You gotta get on the center of it.

I thought I was goin' down.

- All right, just come right here.

[dramatic music] Now hand me the cylinder-- Kaleigh: Hold on, give me your hand.

- Be easy here, okay?

- All right, go.

- 'Cause it's right on the edge.

Steve: That's not safe, we coulda readjusted that.

Susan: Well, whatever!

Just come on.

Kaleigh: [grunts] Take that.

JT: All right, now get over here.

Susan: C'mon, c'mon, c'mon, quick, quick, quick, quick, quick, quick!

Quick, quick!

Kaleigh: You back up.

- All right.

Kaleigh: Get that over here.

- Hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry, hurry!

- Get this!

Pick it up.

JT: Grab it.

[clattering] [ding ding ding] - Woo!!

[ding ding ding] - Woo!

Man!

Could we gripe at each other some more?

But we did it!

Oh, let's go!

[upbeat music] All right.

Kaleigh: "Your relative lives at 10 Greenwing Court."

- Let's go.

- "Your relative lives at 15605 N Hollyhock Street."

Hollyhock?

- Hollyhock?

- Yup.

Steve: All right, let's go.

- Oh my gosh, we did so good!

Go, go, go, go, go.

- Not too many people here, but hey.

Steve: So we need 156th Street, is what we need.

- All right, do you see it on the map?

- No.

Kaleigh: You want me to ask people out here, and you go inside?

JT: Yeah.

♪ - Look, 13951.

- Yeah, I know, but we need to be at 15... 156.

- So we're goin' backwards.

- I think we're goin' the wrong way.

- Yeah, we need to turn around.

- No, just turn right here.

- Turn right?

- Yes.

- Okay.

JT: Ugh, c'mon, nobody knows where this is!

I'm not about to trip at the finish line.

Steve: That says West, this is North, so, north, we gotta, we need to go back the way we came, 'cause we need to be in North Surprise.

- Yeah, see, there you go.

Start-- yes.

- Started off the wrong direction.

- Yeah.

- It looks like.

Kaleigh: But we've gone way too far back this way, I know it's not, we're goin' the wrong direction.

- Okay, I will turn around, then.

Steve: We're gettin' nothin'.

Make a U-turn.

Susan: Ugh, but the numbers are goin' up!

- I know, but it's West, it doesn't say North, you know what I mean?

- Okay.

- I just, I'm sorry, darlin', I-- - No no no, you're fine, calm down, it's okay.

I'm not upset with you, it's okay.

It's all right.

- I wish I was more confident.

- It's okay, yeah.

We'll just have to ask.

- No, they didn't.

- You don't think so?

- No.

Susan: We're gonna be turning right, correct?

Am I wrong, I'll calm down.

- I dunno, baby.

I don't even think we're going the right way.

- You don't?

- Well, just keep going, but I, I don't think we are, no.

Kaleigh: This is stressful.

Nobody knows where this place is.

We don't where this place is.

Steve: Sir, do you know where N Hollyhock St is?

- Yeah.

Man: No.

Kaleigh: Not even stressin' right now, not gonna stress, and I won't let myself get stressed because stress is bad for my blood pressure.

- Embrace the lostness.

- Hollyhock is off of Bell?

Okay, thank you so much, sir.

Oh, that's perfect.

Kaleigh: Let's try this one.

- All right.

- Right here.

Is this right?

JT: Yep.

- Hoooo, let's go, let's go, let's go!

- C'mon, light!

Susan: All right, it's a little hiccup, it's okay.

Singer: ♪ Gonna make it through ♪ [dramatic music] Kaleigh: 10, right there.

What?

- Yeah, it's right here.

- Greenwing?

- Greenwing, yeah.

- Well, turn in there.

- I am.

- It's 10?

1, 2, keep goin', just keep goin'.

3, 4... Susan: Do you see the addresses?

Help me.

- Hold on, what's this address?

It says Pruett.

It says Pruett!

JT: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, it's right here.

♪ Susan: Right here?

- Yeah!

15605.

Susan: Just pull in right here?

Steve: It said Pruett on the mailbox.

Susan: It said Pruett on the mailbox?

- On the mailbox.

[tense music] ♪ [soft music] JT: We pull up, and I realize, this is gonna be the last relative I get to meet on this race.

[knocks] Whoever it is, I'm grateful.

♪ JT: 'Sup?

Kaleigh: Hey.

- Hello!

- So I'm Jonathan, this is my wife, Kaleigh.

- Nice to meet y'all.

I'm Christian.

JT: Nice to meet you.

So, who are you related to?

Christian: Well, JT, I'm related to you.

- How are we related?

- I'm your brother.

- Oh, another brother!

What's up, dude?

JT: I just keep getting met with grizzly bear hugs, and it's awesome, 'cause it's warm, it feels... so inviting, it's just, it's hard to describe that feeling, when someone takes your arm and just wraps you up tight, it's just, you know you're wanted, you know you're loved, and you feel it.

So how old are you?

- I'm 18.

- Ohh, I got a baby, baby brother!

Okay!

- Mm-hm!

- Oh, wow.

You're just a baby.

- I'm excited to have another older brother.

JT: Yeah.

- Closer to home, I assume?

- Yeah, uh, we live uh, Brandon.

- Okay!

- Yeah.

- Not far at all!

That is so crazy.

JT: Yeah, no, we've, I've lived in Pearl and Brandon my whole life.

- Same.

- I'm gonna give you another hug, 'cause... Oh, man.

This is awesome.

♪ - Always welcome to have another family member.

True blood.

- Yup.

Kaleigh: [laughs] - Like... [sighs] I'm so happy to see you.

Like-- - Me too, buddy.

Christian: Now we can... we can be a family again.

JT: Yes.

I'm glad everything happened the way it happened.

Everything was set in stone, and just, everything fell into place.

The adoption, me trying to find everybody, and now this.

Like, this has been a blessing.

And everything happens for a reason, and this is the reason.

I can't wait to have just a big... Kaleigh: Get-together.

JT: Get-together.

- Yes, we do need that.

Kaleigh and JT... amazing people.

♪ Steve: We're sitting in the car, and I'm realizing that uh, I could be meeting my dad for the first time in my life.

♪ Let's go.

♪ [wind chimes] ♪ - Hi.

- Hey.

- Hi, I'm Billy Ray.

Steve: Billy Ray, you're my dad.

- Yeah.

- I'm Steve.

- Yeah, I'm your father.

- Can I have a hug?

- You bet!

♪ - I didn't think I'd ever find you!

- Tell ya what, if we'd've knew you was around, you could've grew up with a big family.

- You didn't know?

- Did not know.

Steve: Hearing my dad say that he didn't know about me... gave me such peace about this whole thing.

- I remember your mother.

- Charlie?

- Well, we called her Charlotte.

Steve: Okay.

- That's what I called her.

'Cause I really liked Charlotte, she was a likeable person.

Steve: Yeah?

♪ - [sighs] I got a lot of questions!

- I hope I can answer 'em.

♪ Steve: I never thought this was possible.

I've been waiting forty years for this.

I can't believe this is happening.

- I'm glad you're not this tall.

[laughter] - It would've been hard to hug ya.

- Do ya think you could have a kid this tall?

- I guess I would've picked you up.

- Oh, man.

Billy Ray: Yeah.

You wanna go over and have a seat?

Steve: Yeah.

Billy Ray: We'll do some talkin'.

♪ Yep, have a seat.

- You know, I've heard stories from my brothers, and my sister, but to actually get here and sit in front of him and talk to him, and to see his smile, and his attitude and his personality... it's like I'm gettin' to know him, and I'm gettin' to know a piece of myself at the same time.

I never thought I'd get to meet you, or anybody on this side of the family.

- Well, I'm glad you did.

Steve: I am too.

It uh, it means a lot to me, I lost, I lost my dad that raised me in uh, 2007.

He was only 50, uh, 55.

- Wow.

Steve: And uh, but, you almost gotta know where you come from, you know?

To not know where you come from kinda messes with you.

- Well, I'm gonna take your word for that, because I knew where I came from, you know.

I wished I would've known that you, that your mom was gonna put you up for adoption.

If I'd've knew about you, I'd've said, "No!

Bring 'im over here," and that lady in the house would have raised you just like her own.

'Cause she did Ronnie.

Steve: To know that he would've wanted me, had he was given a chance... that means he didn't give up on me.

You know?

That means he didn't give me away.

That means he just didn't know about me.

♪ - All right, this is it right here.

Pamela: Am I close to the curb?

Christine: Um, I think, nope, you're good, you're good.

- You ready?

- Yep.

♪ - All right.

Knock on the door.

- Open it?

- Knock on it.

- Oh.

[knocking] - Come in.

♪ - Hi, girls!

Christine: Hi!

Pamela: Hi!

- Christine?

- No.

- Pamela, Christine.

- Yeah, yeah.

Both: Good.

- Oh, hi!

- Nice to meet you!

Arnold: Finally.

Both: Finally!

- My name's Arnold Miles, I am Christine and Pamela's biological father.

- Can we get a hug?

♪ - I'm sorry, but-- Pamela: It's okay.

- No.

♪ I miss you.

♪ My goodness...

I think I'm seeing a splitting image.

[laughter] - I know!

Arnold: Is that right?

Pamela: Yes.

- You look like grandma.

Violet.

- Violet.

- Oh, okay.

- I saw in them me, I saw in them my grandmother, I saw in them my sister, uh, and I saw two beautiful people, beautiful girls.

Christine: You okay?

- Ah, I, well, [laughs] Um, take a seat.

- Okay.

Arnold: Want you to, uh, meet my wife.

Christine: Yes, of course!

Hi!

Pamela: Hi!

- Welcome to our home.

Twins: Thank you!

- My wife, Guadalupe Miles.

Christine: Hi, how are you doing?

Christine: You waiting forever?

Guadalupe: Yes!

- Thank you!

♪ JT: Where did you grow up at?

- Little bit of everywhere, mainly Pearl, Brandon, playin' baseball.

- It's the family sport.

I see we all play baseball.

- Dad actually coached one year, and we ended up winnin' that season.

- Heck yeah!

- I was the pitcher for the whole entire season, threw four no-hitter games.

JT: Nice!

I used to pitch too.

- Okay!

JT: Yup.

I'm sittin' here with my fourth brother, and it's incredible, it's amazing.

But in the back of my mind, I've always had that thought, "Well, I was gonna meet my dad on this show," you know?

And I'm hopin' I get to meet him one day.

The love that everybody has shown me, and just all the openness that I've gotten... everybody's caring, everybody, they, they have big hearts, they have a good soul.

- Man, I'm honestly just so glad you're here.

JT: I'm glad to be here.

[soft music] I can't wait till we get together and have that family time, 'cause I want it to happen, and I know a lot of others that want it to happen.

♪ - We haven't had much family history, but...

I feel like you bein' here would help some now.

♪ Maybe get the family more connected together, have more family time.

[doorbell rings] Let's see.

- Um, okay.

Christian: Oh, hello.

Man: Hello.

[emotional music] ♪ JT: I know.

♪ ♪ ♪ - [breathes deeply] ♪ - You look good!

- Yeah, I wish I looked like you, though.

Hearin' JT say... "That's my dad..." is one of the greatest feelings that there ever is.

Hey, sweetie, how are ya?

- Hi!

JT: This is my wife, Kaleigh.

Kaleigh: So good to meet you.

- Heard I got two grandchildren.

JT: Yes, you do!

William: I'm grateful for this day, because not only is it learning that I have a son, but I have another family.

[bright piano music] ♪ Susan: Hi.

- Hi!

Billy Ray: [laughs] - You must be...?

- This is my wife, Deborah.

- Debbie, please.

- Hi, Debbie!

I'm Steve, this is my wife, Susan.

- Hi, nice to meet you.

Debbie: Hi, glad to meet you, finally.

Steve: Yeah!

- [laughs] - C'mere!

- Okay.

How you doin'?

- I'm good.

- Doin' good?

- This whole thing's been crazy.

- Yeah, it has.

- The first time I get to meet Debbie, my stepmom, she gives me this photo album.

- We made this for you.

So I hope-- Billy Ray: She did all the leg work.

- I hope you, I hope you like it.

- All right, I'm sure I'll love it.

Debbie: It's a lot of stuff that you, that you've missed, so it'll kind of give you an idea.

Susan: Aww.

Debbie: I thought you might like that.

♪ - I do.

Thank you.

[pages rustling] - Oh!

- Oh, wow!

Debbie: This is all the brothers and sisters.

Billy Ray: So you'll know who you're lookin' at.

Debbie: Grandma and grandpa.

I mean, his brothers and sisters, and all their kids.

- That's so awesome.

- That is awesome.

Me, I'm in there.

Debbie: Yeah.

Steve: And it's just a whole photo album with everybody listed in the whole Pruett family.

- I kinda wrote down who they were.

Steve: Yeah!

Susan: That is so awesome.

Steve: This was a lot of work, thank you.

It just made me feel like I was part of the family already.

This is very amazing.

Debbie: This is your dad.

Billy Ray: Yeah, I started out before they had colored pictures.

[laughter] Debbie: Yeah, there's just all kinds of pictures in there for ya.

Steve: I see, and, I love how you named 'em all, that way I know who I'm lookin' at.

Thank you, yeah, that really means a lot.

This is me when I was a baby.

Debbie: Oh!

Steve: And that's my mom.

Debbie: Okay.

Billy Ray: Now see, I...

I remember the face.

Steve: That's my mom when she was a teenager, I guess, is what I'm thinkin', like 18, 17, somethin'.

You know, I'm showin' my dad pictures of my mom, Charlene, and I'm watching him, you know, rack his brain, tryin' to remember her, you know, I mean, he's about to be 70, so it was a long time ago, and I'm 40, and you know, it's very apparent that they didn't have a relationship, so it, you know, kinda goes right in hand with the, he didn't know about me.

- I wish we would've known about you, I really do.

- Yeah.

Billy Ray: Yeah, I do.

Debbie: I do, 'cause we coulda had so much fun.

- First thing she woulda did, if I'd've knew her and she knew for a fact that I was your father, she woulda called me and we'd've took you.

Debbie: Yeah, we could, we could've took ya in.

- Yeah.

- I mean, definitely.

I mean, family's family.

I don't care.

I like, I like kids!

[laughter] Steve: Life is crazy like that, stuff like that happens, and... you know, sometimes people get dropped.

But it's how you pick 'em back up and welcome 'em into the family that matters.

Debbie: But now the time is coming, we can start!

[laughs] Steve: Yeah, absolutely!

We gotta focus on what time we got, so, we gotta start here, huh?

- That's right.

- Yeah, uh, I'm just glad you're, you made it back to your family.

I mean, you've got a huge family.

I could tell he wanted me to accept him.

I'm glad this happened now.

My kids mean everything to me.

- I can't wait to just continue the relationships that I've found here with my family here.

- Yeah, don't let it get away from you.

- Oh, no, don't.

- I got my mom's side of the family, I got my dad's side of the family, the family that adopted me and loved me...

I feel whole now.

♪ William: [sighs] I bet you got a lot of questions, don'tcha?

♪ - [sighs] So you didn't know?

- No.

Uh-uh.

No, sir.

JT: Well, now, we got a-- - Now we know.

JT: We got a lot to-- - Yeah.

And you thought you didn't have no siblings, you got a whole [indistinct] now.

- I see that, I see that.

Just sittin' down right in front of him and seein' him, it feels like...

I've known him for a long time.

So I had, I had a good childhood.

I had a great childhood.

My adoptive parents were awesome.

They, I mean, we lived paycheck to paycheck, but who doesn't these days?

I was an only child, so whatever I needed, I got, and, my parents got sick.

And mom, mom got sick, and she passed away in... when I was 21.

- I'm sorry to hear about that.

- She made the best of it, she lived a good life.

She gave me a good life.

And then my dad, five years after her, they both died on Thanksgiving.

William: Wow.

JT: Yeah, it was crazy.

Ever since my adoptive parents passed away, I didn't have a father figure to open up to, or talk to, and now...

I got a biological father, and getting to open up to him is just, it's a answered prayer, it's a miracle.

I had a good childhood, I had... they raised me right, they did the best they could for me.

- That's great.

You look good.

You look like you was raised through, they did a great job on you.

- They did, they were amazing people.

William: I'm seein' a beautiful child.

A God-given, beautiful young man, you know.

- To hear my dad say that he's proud of me, and that I'm a good man, just makes me feel accomplished, like... 'cause I was lookin' for that for so long, and now I've got it, I've, I've, I've got it.

Similar to my story, like, everybody's had a rough patch in life, and they've pulled themselves out of it.

How is that for you?

- It wasn't your time.

- Mm-mm.

- There's a reason for everything.

- Yep.

- Look at us now.

William: Every day's a miracle my eyes open, so.

But today, mark it in the top.

[tender music] ♪ JT: It's like the world stopped turning, at that point.

And it's just you and him.

Today couldn't get any better.

There's nothing else that could happen today that'd make this any better.

Absolutely nothin'.

I got to meet another brother, and I got to meet my father.

- Yes we can.

And we will.

- Oh, yeah.

- I didn't think none of this was gonna be possible.

Ever.

♪ So it's a big day.

♪ Arnold: By the looks of it, you had a good upbringing.

- Yeah, the parents that adopted us, they fought really hard for us to stay together, so they really-- - 'Cause they did try to split us up.

- Yeah, the system tried to split us up.

- I'm so glad they kept you together.

That was one of my main concerns, you know, for them not to uh, put you apart.

- Yeah.

Arnold: So I'm really happy.

Pamela: Did you know that we ended up in the crisis home?

Arnold: No.

- For two years?

- No.

I had no knowledge of it, um.

It, it was a messy deal, basically, when I was in home, Louisiana, um... - How?

- There are things that I would talk to you on a private basis, truly let you know what went on.

- Okay.

- Um, but it was messy, um, my decision at that time, what I saw was, "It's not gonna happen.

It's not gonna work out," so.

My goal was to come here, and like I said, work, make a career for myself, and be successful one day.

I... was working offshore.

And that's when things happened with you, social service came in, took you guys out, and we went back into it, we tried, but as you know, I did not have the right partner at that time, which is the most important thing with three girls, so.

It's on me, 'cause what I saw, it was not gonna work.

We tried.

- He felt like he had exhausted all his possibilities, both legal, familial, because he didn't have family support.

Um, once he was able to kind of explain it more to us, like, I understand that, I respect his decision, but at the same time, it hurts.

I mean, it hurts to know that that's how it went down.

- It's always been in the back of my mind.

So I'm committed, I always have been, but I couldn't do it for you girls.

[sobbing] I just couldn't.

I just couldn't, and...

I just couldn't!

[poignant music] ♪ [pained sigh] 'Cause I've always-- I've always taken care of my responsibility.

Always.

Never bailed.

Never, never, never.

Except with both of you.

♪ And God knows I tried, man.

I tried.

I tried.

I tried, I tried, I tried.

♪ The reason, you know, for me... giving them up, and I told 'em in my own words how I felt, and why I did it.

It was such a big relief.

'Cause I've kept it in for so long.

Not even my wife, my children, you know, I've kept it in.

And it hurts.

So this release, I'm pleased that I got to do it, you know.

I hope you forgive me, um, for what I did.

- For me, I can't speak for Pam, but you know, I just wanted to let you know that, you know, I'm not angry with you, and I don't blame you for the decisions that you had to make.

We were in a fabulous home, you know, we have amazing adoptive parents.

- Thank God, thank God.

Christine: Who love us, you know, helped us become the people that we are today.

I'm not angry with you.

If you need that, I do forgive you.

- Thank you.

Christine: You know, but I'm not angry.

Pamela: We have no right to be angry, we don't... we don't feel that way at all.

We just have a lot of questions.

I think that his words are sincere.

I don't...

I don't have to understand it to believe his sincerity, because...

I can only grasp so much of where he was, or why he had to make that decision.

Do I think it worked out for the best?

Sure.

Do I still have a million questions?

Absolutely.

I mean, what you had to do was selfless, and I know that wasn't easy.

And you, because of you, we had a pretty good life.

- There's no more hoping.

It's done.

We are gonna go.

They have met their sisters, they have met me, and the next step is to stay in touch and to get together every now and then, and to get to know each other better.

That is my goal, my dream.

♪ ♪ - Yeah, I'm glad.

I'm glad for them initiating it.

'Cause I didn't do it.

But I'm happy they decided to do something about it, to find out who their real father is, so that kicked off everything, and... the answer for me was 100% yes.

We can continue to the next chapter now, and I'm telling you it'll be a good one.

♪ [anticipatory music] - This is the end of Day Nine, and this journey has been more than I could've ever imagined.

- Who would've thought when we started this journey that I would've met four brothers, a sister, two cousins, an aunt, and my, my father?

This has truly been the best days of my life.

- Definitely.

- I mean, this is the most incredible and amazing experience ever.

- Hi!

Oh my gosh!

- Ah!

It's Monique!

Oh my gosh.

Steve: It is so fulfilling, I've gotten so many answers.

"Stephen, I love you very much and I want you to be happy."

Is dad still alive?

- Yeah.

[joyous laughter] Pamela: I don't ever feel like I just had open wounds, I just had a lot of questions, so now that those questions really have all been answered, I just wanna start anew with all our newfound family.

- For forty years.

- You've been waiting for us?

- Forever.

Susan: Um, I'm gonna be bringing home a new man, a new father, because he's complete and has all the answers that he's always searched for.

Steve: The family that I've got to meet is life-changing.

JT: I got an answered prayer, and I got to meet family.

[dramatic music] Dan: As Day Nine comes to a close, the race to find new family is finally over.

With both teams advancing to Day Ten, will Team Blue finish with no strikes?

- Navigation to the house?

- House was rough.

- But we did good at the challenge.

Dan: Or will Team Green take first place once again?

- Even though we both know we're goin' to Day Ten, I really want those steaks.

- And I wanna give Team Blue their first strike!

Dan: And the "steaks" couldn't be higher.

[click] Day Nine, and it looks different from any other day.

We just have two teams with us today, and I ask you both, Team Green and Team Blue, did it feel different, knowing that no matter how you did today, you're moving on to Day Ten?

Team Green.

- Yeah, there was definitely a lot less pressure today, Dan.

- Team Blue, you took this day really seriously.

You got up early and did what?

- We got up early and started mappin' out every direction out of Jackson this morning.

We hit every major city north, south, east, west, everything we could, just make sure we knew where to go and how to get there.

- Team Green, how was your navigation this morning?

- We basically just had to backtrack the way we came yesterday, so we got the same beautiful views, just in reverse, and we knew the exact way to go.

Dan: Once you get through with the challenge, Team Green, you asked a number of people, many of them did not give you good advice, but eventually you find the house.

You run to the door, and who is waiting for you?

- [sighs] Well, Dan, y'all seem to really pull it together here on the last day.

Every other day has been amazing, but I'd like to introduce y'all to my father Billy Ray and my stepmom Debbie.

- Hi!

[laughs] Steve: Y'all can't see it here, but this guy's a hoot.

- [laughs] - I'm blown away by how much you can be alike with somebody and never met 'em!

This guy gives everybody a hard time, it's awesome, it's like me when I get older.

Debbie: [laughs] - Dad, can you kind of share with us, in the moment, how were you feeling, what were you thinking?

- I was afraid he wouldn't like us.

- That is an honest response to that.

I'm sure that's part of everybody's fear and concerns when you're discovering new family and meeting for the first time.

- Soon as I seen him, though, I knew where he belonged.

[heartfelt music] Dan: Wow.

Steve, safe to say that uh, when you meet your dad, you like him?

You love him?

- Absolutely!

[laughter] - What's not to like, he's lookin' at hisself in the mirror, almost!

[laughter] - Oh my gosh, Dan.

It's been an amazing journey, an amazing day.

Dan: Team Blue.

I've asked this before, but this is the last time on this season that I can ask it.

Was it worth it?

- Absolutely, 100 million trillion percent.

Dan: Who did you meet?

- All right, guys, y'all ready for this?

So I got to meet my baby baby brother.

Dan: Your brother?

JT: Yeah, Christian.

- What's up, bro?

- Oh, just excited.

- But wait, there's more.

[laughter] I got to meet my father.

- Oh!

- Aw.

- [laughs] That's amazing.

- Hey, guys.

Dan: Oh, wow.

♪ - So yes, Dan, it's been the best day ever.

- Clearly there's a physical resemblance, but I am touched by how emotional your dad is right now.

Hey dad?

Thanks for doin' this with us.

You didn't know that JT was out there.

- Nope.

♪ - And how has this meeting been for you?

- One of the best days of my life.

- You have many more days now to look forward to.

Kaleigh and Susan, the love and support that you have showed, as this has primarily been about your husbands' journeys, it is remarkable to see how couples will respond to all the ups and downs of a journey that we like to say, unlike any other, and you guys have been stellar.

[intense music] ♪ It is now time to find out who finished in first, and who finished in second, which would be a strike.

I guess we should remind everybody that the first place prize today is gourmet steaks for you and each member of your family that you met on the journey.

Who picked up first place, and who earned the strike on Day Nine?

I can tell you this: unbelievable.

The difference?

Sixty seconds.

Sixty seconds.

- I hear 60 seconds and I, I immediately think, "Yep, that's us.

We lost it by one whole minute."

Dan: One of you finished ten minutes over your allotted time.

The other finished 11 minutes over their allotted time.

Team Blue, you have yet to finish in first place, and yet, you have yet to receive a strike.

Team Green, you've kind of barreled through this.

Kudos to you.

And on this day, congratulations to Team Blue!

- Oh!

- Oh, gosh!

Dan: You finished in first place, ten minutes over your allotted time.

- Finally!

- [gasps] [laughter] Dan: Team Green, you finished 11 minutes over your allotted time, but you know what?

I've got a feeling it's all okay.

- [chuckles] It is.

- Well, teams, nine days ago when we started this race, we were in Nashville and you were pounding out juice.

Tomorrow is Day Ten.

One of you is gonna pound out $50,000.

Where will that happen?

In Northern Arizona.

That's right, you're headed to Prescott, or more specifically, about 45 minutes outside of Prescott, where a ranch awaits.

What does Day Ten have in store for you?

I can only tell you this: get some rest, because you'll need it.

And we'll see you, in Arizona, tomorrow, for Day Ten of Relative Race.

Good night.

- Later y'all!

- Good night!

- Love y'all!

- See y'all tomorrow!

- Team Green!

- Blue!

- [chuckles] - Bye!

- Ho, we got first!

- We got first tonight!

- Well, darn, I didn't get a steak dinner.

Steve: I know!

- [laughs] - Team Blue went to Day Ten with no strikes.

- No strikes.

- Oh, that irks me so bad.

That's all right, I'll give 'em one on Day Ten.

Debbie: [laughs] - With all our first place wins, we'll let Team Blue take some steaks.

- Yeah, 'cause we're takin' the fifty grand, Team Blue's goin' down!

- So we're the only team that's made it to Day Ten-- Kaleigh: With no strikes, that just, that just clicked for me, that we have no strikes!

Oh, that just clicked.

I was just happy for the steaks!

- Strike-free all the way.

That 50,000?

That's ours.

We're comin' for you, Team Green.

You better bring your A game.

♪