Alan Robinson and Walter MacFarlane had been best friends for 60 years, bonding over their shared love of football during their school days in Hawaii. Despite living less than 10 miles apart for most of their lives, it wasn’t until 2017 that they discovered they were more than just lifelong friends—they were biological brothers.
MacFarlane, who had never known his father, took a DNA test at the encouragement of his daughter, Cindy, to learn more about his ancestry. The test revealed a close match with someone under the username “Robi737,” labeled as a “close family or sibling.” The name stood out to Cindy, who recalled that her father’s best friend Alan was a pilot known as “Robbie” to his colleagues.
The revelation confirmed that Robinson and MacFarlane shared the same birth mother. For Robinson, who was adopted and had long thought he would never know his biological family, the news was overwhelming. The two described the discovery as an emotional “best Christmas present,” and when they shared the news with their families, there wasn’t a dry eye in the room.
Though neither had suspected they were related, MacFarlane admitted he occasionally thought they looked “a little bit” alike. Their incredible journey from friends to brothers brought new meaning to their already strong bond, proving that family connections can take extraordinary paths.
