In the mid-1980s, Hal worked his way through medical school as an anonymous sperm donor. Thirty years later, Hal was one of 23AndMe's first customers, curious about his health genes. He had no idea that he'd just destroyed his donor anonymity. Suddenly, seven total strangers found “Daddy.” Except six of them had no idea that their actual biological father was a sperm donor. And the seventh? She knew. And she'd been looking for him. The Donor: A DNA Horror story follows an unexpected ripple effect of the personal genomics business – and its unanticipated impact on people's lives.

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In a search for inner peace, Hal finally confronts his own feelings toward Beka.

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A chance encounter with an old friend – a psychiatrist – convinces Hal that his issues with Beka stem from her being a raging narcissist. But, when Hal tries to present his side to his donor kids, they all circle the wagons around Beka.

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Hal tries to take his case against Beka to his donor kids. But, his weak father-donor-kid bond is nothing compared to all his donor kids' sibling bonds with each other. Beka, Hal learns, has total sway over her diblings.

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Hal manages to pull his relationship with Beka back from the brink. As they begin to talk more, more of Hal’s donor kids sign on to 23AndMe with mixed results. Hal believes he's finally got a handle on Beka; he doesn't. After Hal suggests that Beka's feelings for him might be stronger than she admits, Beka breaks off their relationship entirely and goes on the warpath.

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If Hal’s relationship with Beka can be compared to a roller coaster ride (which it can!), then this is the part where the ride plunges terrifyingly. Somewhere between the start and end of a nine-hour bike ride, Hal’s relationship with Beka turns toxic.

When Hal tries to rally the support of his new donor-conceived family, he learns that Beka has already rallied them all to her.

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Threatened by Miles’ angry dad, Hal tries to diffuse the situation. Meanwhile, a second donor son joins 23AndMe. Hal learns quickly that none of his donor kids have any idea whatsoever that they’re donor conceived! They have all been their family secret!

As Hal tries to diffuse the situation with Miles’ dad, he meets a second donor son (Sonny) and a donor daughter: BEKA. Unlike her donor siblings (her diblings), Beka knew she was donor-conceived before joining 23AndMe. Also, unlike her diblings, she was actually looking for Hal.

Almost from the jump, Hal is unusually drawn to Beka. Their relationship gets off to a flying start.

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THE BLURB: In the mid 1980's, Hal worked his way through medical school as an anonymous sperm donor. Jump forward 25 years. Now a successful radiologist, Hal joined 23AndMe, curious about his health genes. He didn't realize that sending his DNA into a growing DNA database would destroy his donor anonymity. Suddenly, seven total strangers found "daddy". Except six of them had no idea their biological father was actually Hal - a sperm donor.

SHOW NOTES

When my friend Hal approached me, wanting to tell his story, he wanted to do it as a movie or TV series. Considering the subject matter, I told him, his story wouldn't survive either of those two storytelling media unscathed or even intact.

Spoiler alert: before, too, too long, Hal's story will include a thing called "genetic sexual attraction". How it enters the story, why it becomes so "potent" if you will - that's the nature of this story's horror.

For me, telling this story presented multiple challenges; that's why I couldn't possibly say no to trying to tell it. Had Hal tried to tell the story himself - with an invented name to protect his identity plus other invented names to protect other identities - he would have been an unreliable narrator right at the jump. But, being an outsider willing to confess all connections to the story, I could use invented names for Hal and anyone else whose privacy needed protecting without compromising my reliability or integrity as storyteller.

As we say a lot at Costard & Touchstone Productions, how you tell a story is just as important as the story itself.

I believe the most honest stories are the best and the best stories are the most honest. Because Hal was willing to be balls to the wall honest, I could tell his story freely - while being mindful of the privacies I needed to protect.

What was especially thrilling about telling Hal's story was that I learned the deep, dark truths along with the audience. The moment I knew I wanted to tell Hal's story - just hearing the headlines - I stopped him from telling me anything else. That feeling of discovery inside the series - as you'll hear it - is genuine. In subsequent episodes, you'll meet the donor-conceived community - Hal's "kids". They really and truly are a community. And they're families, too - blood related and everything!

Telling Hal's story opened a door onto a world I had no idea even existed. And, discovering that world opened more doors than I can count! It led directly to another podcast - The Hall Closet - told by donor-conceived host Donna Hall (who learned the truth of her conception at age 40!). Donna grew up in the mid 1980's and 90's in a lower tier crime family outside of Philadelphia. The Halls weren't the Corleone's, but they made national headlines just the same. Her mom (maybe the worst mom ever!) spent 6 months in prison for child endangerment. Donna's stepdad - John Hall - was a true master criminal, and the Philadelphia Police Department's favorite snitch. John Hall sent more than 25 people to prison based on bullshit confessions he'd concocted to mitigate his own considerable legal jeopardy.

Just as Hal's story was unlike anything I'd ever heard before - and I have a taste (ad a nose) for strange stories - so was Donna's! You'll meet Donna later in episode 5 "Diblings". But, you can meet her at The Hall Closet Podcast. I'm biased of course, but, I think you'll fall in love with Donna!

Alan Katz

Costard & Touchstone Productions

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