A man who discovered he had a long-lost brother after 27 years has met him for the first time - after a DNA test revealed he had a sibling. 

Rhys Williams, 27, was nine-years-old when his mother died and he discovered the man raising him was not his biological dad.

After being told by his cousins, Rhys continued to be raised by his stepdad, and tried to find out more about his long-lost family at age 18 but had no luck.

Rhys used a DNA test for fun in January 2022 and uploaded his results to MyHeritage.com but found out his birth dad had sadly passed away six years prior.

But the results also allowed him to discover he had a long-lost brother - Chris Jones, 53. 

Chris (left) drove two and a half hours to meet Rhys at his Stoke-on-Trent home (SWNS).

After connecting and speaking on Zoom, Chris drove two and half hours to surprise his brother Rhys in May 2023.

Rhys, a university lecturer, from Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire, said: "It was a very different experience for me.

"I had no idea, Chris was going to surprise me but now I look back there were so many clues.

"I went from finding out 'here is your biological dad' to find out he has passed away and realising that nobody else will look like me.

"For me it was crazy to then meet Chris who is my blood and is older. I know I will have a very good hairline in 20 or so years.

"This is someone who is flesh and blood - who looks like me.

The brothers plan to meet up again next month (SWNS).

"It feels like another piece of the puzzle is filled in. The puzzle started as big question mark but it is getting filled in now.

"It feels like this is the time it was meant to be and now it has happened."

After a DNA test in January 2022 confirmed that Rhys' stepdad wasn't his biological father, he uploaded the results onto MyHeritage.com to learn more about the family he had never known. 

Rhys later connected with his auntie who connected Rhys with his long-lost brother Chris Jones, 53, just six days later. 

The pair met virtually over Zoom and their relationship has blossomed ever since.

Chris, a global logistics buyer, from Longcot, Oxfordshire, said: "I had always known I was adopted.

"I grew up as an only child. I had very nice adopted parents and a good upbringing.

"But it would have been nice to do all this around 20 years ago.

"It is nice. It is lovely how it has all happened now. I have never had a younger brother. It is a different experience.

"We get on really well. We went out for dinner after we met and had a lovely meal."

The brothers said they are a lot alike and share interests, physical traits - and even a rare eye injury suffered by their birth father and Chris.

Rhys said: "A lot of things line up, the nose for example. Even things that aren't genetic.

"We both like the same colour. We both love cats. We both decide to make impulse purchases.

"Things like that. Things you don't even realise but, obviously, there is a lot of genetics."

The brothers said they are a lot alike and share many interests and physical traits (SWNS).

In May 2023 Chris drove two and a half hours from Oxfordshire to surprise his brother Rhys at his house in Stoke-on-Trent.

Rhys thought that his brother had arranged for a videographer to arrive at his home to interview him about his story.

But to Rhys' surprise, Chris turned up in his living room.

Chris said: "I drove up there and had to send the cameraman a secret message to tell him I was there.

"I sent him a text saying 'I am delivering your camera batteries' and then he came to the door and I went in the house to surprise Rhys.

"It was a lovely moment."

As Chris approached him with open arms, Rhys calmly took a sip of his tea, set it aside, and embraced him with a warm hug.

Rhys said: "I had no idea, now I look back there were so many clues.

The brothers plan to build on their relationship and meet up again in June this year.

READ MORE: Plans approved for three-storey care home in Stoke-on-Trent which will provide around 70 new jobs

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