Daughter discovers she was accidentally swapped at birth

Imagine growing up believing one thing and then finding out that everything you’ve ever known wasn’t true.

That’s exactly what happened to 27-year-old Doris Gruenwald, from Austria, who discovered she was being raised by a family that wasn’t biologically hers.

All it took was a decision to donate blood and the shocking discovery was made because as it turned out her blood type didn’t match what was on her birth certificate.

Doris and her mum look alike but are not biologically related. Photo: Facebook
Doris and her mum look alike but are not biologically related. Photo: Facebook

“That was the moment my feet were pulled out from under me. Everything that I had known up to that point was now being questioned,” Doris told RTL.

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“The world that had existed for me just completely fell apart.”

She says her world fell apart that day. Photo: RTL
She says her world fell apart that day. Photo: RTL

Doris and her mum Evelin never questioned their connection growing up, highlighting similarities in their appearance and their strong bond.

But as many questions remain unanswered, Doris has set out to find her real family – who likely have no idea their child isn’t biologically theirs.

“The questions I’m asking myself are what do my biological parents look like, how did their life develop, how are they going now,” Doris says.

Doris and her 'mum' even look alike. Photo: RTL
Doris and her 'mum' even look alike. Photo: RTL

It’s been determined in court that the University Hospital in Graz in Austria most likely mixed up to babies in the 20 hours between the birth and the mother being given the child in 1990.

The hospital has been found guilty of "gross negligence" and have been ordered to pay $133,000 in damages to Doris, mum Evelin and her husband.

A court has ruled the hospital was at fault. Photo: Getty
A court has ruled the hospital was at fault. Photo: Getty

They also had to cover the costs the couple went through to adopt Doris after discovering she wasn't their child.

Now the search is on to find her real family, with the hospital offering free DNA tests to 200 mothers who were present at the same time in 1990. So far only 30 people have taken the test and no matches have been found.

Their bond remains strong. Photo: RTL
Their bond remains strong. Photo: RTL

“Me – we – won’t give up hope that we will eventually find our biological counterparts,” Doris wrote on Facebook.

Good luck Doris.

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