Kevin McMahon, aged 64, was uncovered through a DNA test that he was switched at birth in 1960 with another baby, both having the same last name, the New York Post reported.
In a profound revelation brought to light by modern genetic testing, Kevin McMahon from Richmond Hill, Queens, has discovered that his life began with a bewildering mix-up. Born on May 26, 1960, at Jamaica Hospital in Queens, New York, McMahon was erroneously swapped with another newborn, ironically also surnamed McMahon.
Hospital staff mistakenly gave the children—born merely 45 minutes apart—to the wrong families because of their closely sequential birth certificate numbers. This critical error, unrecognized for sixty years, has led McMahon to file a lawsuit against Jamaica Hospital, citing the profound impact this mix-up had on his upbringing and relationships within the family that raised him.
The truth unraveled in 2020 when Carol Vignola, who McMahon had always considered his sister, underwent a DNA test using Ancestry.com. The results were startling: they were not biological siblings. This prompted McMahon to take his test, which further confirmed he had no biological ties to the family that raised him.
Further investigations revealed that Kevin has a biological brother, Keith McMahon. Subsequent blood tests between Carol Vignola and Ross McMahon, and between Kevin and Keith, affirmed that each pair was indeed biological siblings. This discovery provided Kevin McMahon with a sense of clarity regarding his longstanding feelings of disconnection from the family.
Kevin McMahon expressed the emotional turmoil that followed the revelation, describing it as a shock that was hard to comprehend. He confessed that he had long suspected something was amiss, given the different treatment he received compared to his siblings.
In November 2021, McMahon decided to pursue legal action, filing a lawsuit in Queens Civil Court against Jamaica Hospital. His lawyer, Jeremy Schiowitz, emphasized that the incident was not merely a fluke but a preventable tragedy. The lawsuit aims to seek unspecified financial damages and an acknowledgment of the mistake from the hospital.
For decades, Kevin McMahon felt an emotional and social disconnect, which he attributes to the underlying truth that he was not a biological member of the family. He recalls his youth, where he felt ostracized, even by his grandmother, who appeared to favor his siblings over him.
McMahon’s feelings of isolation were compounded by comments from family members that hinted at his non-biological connection. Vignola once mentioned, half-jokingly, that Kevin must have come from the milkman because he did not resemble the rest of the family.
The emotional repercussions for McMahon were profound, shaping his self-perception and confidence throughout his life. He described feeling like he didn't truly exist, which only intensified with the discovery of his true origins.
McMahon’s legal representation has pointed out the increasing role of DNA tests in uncovering such errors and expects more cases to surface as genetic testing becomes more widespread. McMahon’s case is among the first of its kind and highlights the potential familial disruptions caused by hospital errors at birth.
Despite the lawsuit, McMahon’s primary grievance lies with the hospital’s handling of the situation, lamenting their lack of acknowledgment regarding the error. This has added to his emotional struggle, feeling that the hospital's response dehumanized the impact of their mistake.
As Kevin McMahon continues to adjust to the revelation and its implications on his identity and family connections, his case underscores the profound impacts genetic discoveries can have on individual lives. For McMahon, the journey towards emotional reconciliation continues, as does his legal battle against Jamaica Hospital for recognition and reparation.
