Now on bbc news my very extended family. Two years ago, julia, a High School Student from ohio, received an email out of the blue that changed her life forever. Julia, who was conceived brazils president , jair bolsonaro, by sperm donor, discovered has ordered the military to help fight the devastating fires she had a half sister. In the amazon rainforest. But that was only the beginning. The announcement comes after european leaders threatened to scrap a major trade deal in this remarkable film, with south american nations julia goes on a journey to explore what family means. All right. Lets go for a walk. I a lwa ys all right. Lets go for a walk. I always knew that i was donor conceived. 0137 from california. I grew up in cleveland heights, ohio, with two mothers, kathleen and betsy. I really dont miss it having a father because they both completed a father because they both completed a different area of me growing up. This is the family. My sister, sarah and i, we have lived togetherfor almost two decades. We fight over socks and we steal each others headphones and i love her to pieces. It is so nice out. It is beautiful. It was the beginning of my spring break of senior year. My mom got an e mail that said hi, break of senior year. My mom got an e mailthat said hi, i break of senior year. My mom got an e mail that said hi, i think your daughter is my daughters half sister. So i facebook searched and found a bunch of women who were the right age and i found one who had a daughter who was around my age. I messaged carolyn and i said, hi. I think i am your half sister. 1307 from california . Think i am your half sister. 1307 from california 7 i think i am your half sister. 1307 from california . I dont know who you are are, i was that as an answer. But i got i am your sister i really did not think about that whole side of my family for a while until i was 18 and old enough. I thought maybe i would be able to find one or two. And ifound one or two. I think were trying to feel around and figure out how we are family. It is completely uncharted territory. Kathleen was very insistent on making sure that we used the sperm bank of california because we were allowed to have a number from that. As farasi allowed to have a number from that. As far as i remember there were only two in the country at the time that we could find the donor. Well, julia could find the donor when she turned 18. We had no rights to the donor and he had no rights to us. Julia was the only person who could make contacted remember, when julia was the only person who could make contacted remember, whenjulia was born in 1999 in january, contacted remember, whenjulia was born in 1999 injanuary, she was conceived five months before google was founded. There was no chance, in out was founded. There was no chance, in our minds, that any of the siblings would ever be part of the picture. It was not that we did not want them, itjust it was not that we did not want them, it just never crossed it was not that we did not want them, itjust never crossed our minds. We just let her call the shots on that one. I think growing up shots on that one. I think growing upi shots on that one. I think growing up i was shots on that one. I think growing uprasa shots on that one. I think growing up i was a closed off person. I did not know how to deal with my emotions, especially with my pa rents. Emotions, especially with my parents. Kathleen is a therapist. She was a therapist, psychologist. She was a therapist, psychologist. She helped me to open up. Betsy and iwe she helped me to open up. Betsy and i we rode bikes together and would go on walks together. I would help her cook. Is there enough mayonnaise . How much . Put more in. Yeah, that looks really dry. Did and that she gave birth tojulia but with ace term donor. It created a special family. With ace term donor. It created a specialfamily. A with ace term donor. It created a special family. A beautiful with ace term donor. It created a specialfamily. A beautiful blend. Mom, how long do i do this for . was ready to keep going. Thats so cool before my mom died she left me this note. I was at college my sophomore year and note. I was at college my sophomore yearand in the note. I was at college my sophomore year and in the middle of my midterms and i got a call from betsy she said julia, you have to come home. After my mom died ifound this note that she left for me. So i kind of keep it there. It has not moved. It makes me happy. Carolyn was the first sibling that i made contact with. So i guess she isjust my introduction to the donor sibling world. I introduction to the donor sibling world. Lam introduction to the donor sibling world. I am going to meet her again fiow. Your haircut when did that happen . Months ago. When i was growing up i thought that maybe i had donor siblings but then your mom was the first person to contact me. That was the first time i realised that i have a donor sibling and it is you. There are 19 of us and then sam ppped there are 19 of us and then sam popped up. Sam is another one we did not know about. There are 20 of us. Do you know that for sure . Yes. There are definitely 20 of. Mum has an excel spreadsheet. It has everybody we have contacted. My my mother is a single mom. She was 36 years old when she had me. This is the sperm pipet that my mother used and here you can see it says 1317. She had these in herfreezer forfour 1317. She had these in herfreezer for four or five 1317. She had these in herfreezer forfour orfive months before she decided that today is the day im gonna get pregnant. I think what id did learn and take from my mothers process is that i did want to have a partner to help raise a child. , not that i am in any way unhappy about my childhood but i think i would want, you know, someone else to help me. I think that families are chosen andi me. I think that families are chosen and i still think that. And so i dont know if i am choosing the donor sibling family or what but i think all of us really feel in it. When we were starting this process, firstly there were two sperm banks we we re firstly there were two sperm banks we were aware of, both in california, that had an ongoing programme. We wanted to make sure that we looked like a family. I think we thought there would be enough barriers to us being acknowledged as a family and having physical characteristics that were similar was helpful and that was why we chose a young man. German scottish english. This is a questionnaire we got from the sperm bank about your donor. It was a nswered bank about your donor. It was answered by him. Describe your personality and character. I am very easy to get along with and i am a pacifist. I think that is the line that got mommy. I remember you telling me about that. Why do you wa nt to telling me about that. Why do you want to be a sperm donor . The spired the money which is definitely an incentive, i think it would be a worthy experience. If i never have kids than i would would want to know i gave that opportunity to another couple. Which option did you choose . Identity release and why did you choose that option. It may be interesting to meet my unknown child to see what effect environmental and genetic have played in role in his or her development. If we could pass a message to the recipients of your seaman, what would that message be . Do well in school and believe in yourself. Hold your head high and be considerate of others. He just seems like a nice guy. And that is why we chose him. Are you glad we picked him . I chose him. Are you glad we picked him . I love you. Thank you so much. Have a great trip. I want to hear all about it when you get home. Im going to meet up with some of my siblings. George, mari and samantha. s answer, none of us know her so i cant imagine what she must be feeling right now. But i am ready to meet them. I have met george before. I open meet them. I have met george before. Iopen up meet them. I have met george before. I open up when george is around because he is so willing to talk. We also just have such a connection. I like to talk with him about all the experiences that we have shared in our lives like talking about not celebrating fathers day or what it is like to have a single mom or to mom s. Two moms. Is like to have a single mom or to mom s. Two moms. Whats up . great to see you. To see you. Hello. Lam mari. Great to see you. To see you. Hello. I am mari. Nice to meet you. You see what i mean . They look so similar the eyes. Maybe it is your nose, actually. How old are you . 22. Yeah. We are all in the same age range. One thing that changed my perspective on my Family History a lot was talking to darren on the phone. Growing up, he was a cool dad. You would have to be if you donated but he seemed normal. He seems kind of dorky and unsure of himself. It did not shatter anything for me, it was just ok, himself. It did not shatter anything for me, it wasjust ok, hes himself. It did not shatter anything for me, it was just ok, hes just a quy for me, it was just ok, hes just a guy. That changed a lot of my brain. The first time i met him ijoked where i said you know who you have enough offspring for a full two full football tea m enough offspring for a full two full Football Team with referees and coaches . i have huge hands. I think thatis coaches . i have huge hands. I think that is my brother. I never really what wondered about the fact that i might have these half siblings, diblings. I like calling them sisters and brothers because im trying to get used to the fact that they are my sisters and brothers. Now will become a much bigger part of this sperm donor story than the father aspect of it. We have no guide for how to organise these relationships. One of the things you wa nt to relationships. One of the things you want to know so fast. So i was a double donor conception which means a donor egg and a donor sperm was used. I felt very ifelt very alien. I felt very alien. I felt, 50 years ago, i wouldnt have been able to exist at all. I felt like i was kind of forced onto the earth a little bit, you know . It wasnt natural at all. I felt very alone. There was a period but i wasjust. I, i wished that i hadnt been born in this way, really at all, and i almost kind of named her, because i knew that she wanted a child so bad. Blamed. The numbers for how many pregnancies you can allow people to report, as if the pregnancies are successful, so if the pregnancies are successful, so the sperm donors dont get a lot of information in return. So there isa of information in return. So there is a problem with a lack of regulation around that or something. But, i mean, should they have to meet the kids . Sperm donation is around to stay, i dont know, someday it might only be this. I dont know. We dont know the future of, like, any of that. It is so grody that other peoples parents had to have sex. It is weird science. I really want to get to know you better and i am bound to be a brother. I want to get to know you guys too. We are brothers and sisters in name only, i kinda want to make it more than that. |j sisters in name only, i kinda want to make it more than that. I really hadnt used the term brothers and sisters up until today, but meeting them and hearing samantha and george and julia say, like, you are my brother, like. And thats true. Saying it that way really hits you. Like, oh, yeah. You actually are my brother, you actually are my sister. My brother, you actually are my sister. My half sister came up to me and gave me a hug today, and i was the first blood relative she has untouched. And it is a thursday. Just a random thursday. The whole experience is always just shocking and bewildering, but in a really beautiful way, in a really touching way. Hugging george, it was like. I dont know, a strange sort of homecoming, you know . It was like someone homecoming, you know . It was like someone i should have been hugging throughout my childhood but never did. Iwish throughout my childhood but never did. I wish i could have told younger me about this day, and i just want to go back and tell her, you will find them, you will find those people that understand. It will definitely keep me warm for a very long time, you know . So how was that for her . I mean, did she cry, was she just laughing . She didnt tell us that it was so monumental for her until later. And so when she told us that, we were all talking at the table. I was just like, what . Like, that is the first time. But just blew my mind. I liked marie a lot. I didnt know anything about her going into that. What do you feel you learn about yourself when you do this . I learned that i love all my siblings, and they are so smart. They just bring all my siblings, and they are so smart. Theyjust bring up so many thought provoking questions. Smart. Theyjust bring up so many thoughtprovoking questions. Where do you see that going . |j thoughtprovoking questions. Where do you see that going . I feel so co mforta ble do you see that going . I feel so comfortable calling them all brother or sister. But also, we havent had that connection for the first 18 yea rs of that connection for the first 18 years of our lives. So i really dont know. I dont know how much to connect with them, how much i want out of their relationship with me. And i feel like the out of their relationship with me. And ifeel like the best out of their relationship with me. And i feel like the best way to do it is to see what happens. It is such an interesting, deep connection. Its love, you know . I dont think i would have expected that. I thought. Dont think i would have expected that. Ithought. I dont dont think i would have expected that. I thought. I dont know. Dont think i would have expected that. Ithought. I dont know. But i saw that coming. It is really sweet. Its great. Im lucky to have them. Mito. We are going to meet darren tomorrow. This is when we we re darren tomorrow. This is when we were on vacation the week for your mom died. And she played the song she learned. She taught herself to play the ukulele in the last two months of her life and played the song for the whole family. Dont worry about a thing dont worry about a thing cause every Little Things is going to be all right dont worry about a thing dont worry about a thing cause every little thing is going to be all right. Amazing applause. She was so funny. She was so funny. My my mum is about to meet my dad for the first time. I hope they like each other. I guess . Um. The first time. I hope they like each other. Iguess . Um. It the first time. I hope they like each other. I guess . Um. It is about 11 20am and he is going to be here in about ten minutes. From when you were like ten years old, nine yea rs you were like ten years old, nine years old, you called him don. Don was my nickname for him, because we didnt know who he was. But, we didnt know who he was. But, we didnt know who he was. We didnt have a name. So you called him don andi have a name. So you called him don and i thought that was the cutest name. Iam and i thought that was the cutest name. I am a bit anxious, have to admit. But i am channelling your money, to be grounded and clear. Mommy. Thinking what you might want to ask him. Hello welcome. Hi im betsy. Betsy, nice to meet you. Good to see you. First of all, i want to say thank you. Because i have this amazing kid. Shes really been a joy to raise. And watch. And i really appreciated. I dont know if you consider it generosity, but i think it is the biggest gift you could have ever given anyone, so i really appreciate that. And what a great human you are. And thanks. Thanks for giving me life. I thought that ifi for giving me life. I thought that if i was in for giving me life. I thought that ifiwas ina for giving me life. I thought that if i was in a Young Persons shoes that i would want to have the right to know my biological father. My life is really full of taking care of my kids. Sol life is really full of taking care of my kids. So i dont really think about all the donor offspring a whole lot. Im busy. What i do think about, i think it is good. I helped give life. I mean, i guess im curious how you think about these kids. I honestly dont have a strong connection to them, socially. But even then, family such a broad term. People. Donors have to qualify. There is a Nuclear Family your extended family, your work family. It isa extended family, your work family. It is a very big term. But that said, you know, ifeel like they it is a very big term. But that said, you know, i feel like they are pa rt of said, you know, i feel like they are part of my sort of broader genetic family. Im just looking part of my sort of broader genetic family. Imjust looking between you two talking to each other. And you are my biological mum, and you are my biological dad, and just. Are my biological mum, and you are my biological dad, andjust. I dont know, its just a very strange to hear you guys talk to each other. For the first time yeah. I keep going, just, like. Like, as you are talking to each other. From who i have met so far and from what ive heard about them, they are all very smart, talented, friendly, good looking people. Which i take full credit for. I see them as really remarkable young people. And im grateful for that. I feel a tiny bit of pride in that. I dont feel oppressed by the number at all. So if there are 15 instead of 20, i am not sure i really feel that number ona not sure i really feel that number on a day to day basis. If they lived at my house i would feel it. I am interested in knowing what happens to them. At the same time, if they wa nt to them. At the same time, if they want to keep to themselves and not show that, that is fine too. Every connection but ive made in the last two years, even, has shaped my view of what family is. That ive made. I have gained a lot of family. And that was so much more than i would have ever thought. But i also never thought i could lose such a big part of my family. And kathleens not replaceable at all. I think im learning how to live still. And my familys definitely helping with that. I very extended family. My very extended family. Hi, im emily. Im jake. Family is family. And love is love. Hi, im lydia. Im 23 years old. I am the oldest. Out of 2a siblings, i am the only one going bald. Hello there. It certainly is going to feel like someone over it certainly is going to feel like someone over the next few days, could be a record breaking bank holiday weekend. Increasing heat coming in from the new continent, increasing humidity, mind you. We still have the threat of some showers near that were defined in the north west. A bit more cloud for North Western scotland and ireland on saturday and a few showers for the highlands and islands into philemon and tyrone. Also, lots of sunshine and light winds as well, and that heat will build quickly. Warm up the eastern parts of Northern Ireland and up into the central belt of scotland. The highest temperatures for england and wales, widely in the high 20s, about 30 degrees likely in the south east of england. We have been looking at this cloud threatening out threatening north wales and the south west. A lower risk of a shower and we should have sunny skies elsewhere. That heat continues to build north into scotland with the highest temperatures again through the midlands, Eastern England and towards the south east of england, 00 28 26,382 4294966103 13 29,430 probably more of the same on monday