They may have always lived close by but hadn't realised how close they actually were
The saying “brother from another mother” often describes a
deep friendship, but for Alan Robinson and Walter MacFarlane, it turned out to
be a literal truth. After being best friends for 60 years, these two men
discovered they were actually brothers—a revelation that changed their lives
forever.
Alan and Walter first met as young boys playing football at
prep school in Hawaii. Their friendship blossomed, and the two stayed close
throughout their lives, living just 10 miles apart. Despite their bond, neither
man suspected they shared more than just a lifelong friendship.
Their discovery came in 2017, thanks to a DNA test. Walter,
who had never known his father, was encouraged by his daughter Cindy to take a
test to explore his ancestry. When the results came back, they revealed an
intriguing match—a user named “Robi737” who had identical X chromosomes to
Walter.
Curious about the result, Cindy dug deeper. She noticed that
“Robi737” was listed as “close family or sibling.” When she mentioned it to her
mother, a lightbulb moment occurred. Alan, known as “Robbie” among friends, had
worked as a pilot for Aloha Airlines and flown Boeing 737s. Could it be the
same person?
Sure enough, “Robi737” turned out to be Alan’s username on
the DNA testing site. The results confirmed the unimaginable—Alan and Walter
shared the same birth mother. Alan, who had been adopted as a child, was not
only Walter’s best friend but his biological brother.
The revelation was both overwhelming and emotional for the
two men. Speaking to Sky News, they described the moment as “the best Christmas
present” they could have ever received. Alan reflected on the life-changing
discovery, sharing that after losing his younger brother at 19, he never
thought he’d have nieces or nephews or learn more about his birth family.
Walter, on the other hand, admitted that although he had
sometimes thought they looked a bit alike, the idea of them being related had
never crossed his mind. When the pair shared the news with their families, the
emotional reaction was unforgettable. Walter recalled, “There wasn’t a dry eye
in the whole place.”
The brothers have since embraced their newfound
relationship, building on their already strong connection. After six decades of
friendship, they now celebrate their bond not just as friends but as
family—brothers for life. It’s a story that truly redefines the meaning of
friendship and family, proving that some connections run deeper than anyone can
imagine.
