Jessica Lippincott
Wendy Corr:
Well, hey there folks. Welcome to The Roundup. We're a Cowboy State Daily Podcast, and we focus on interesting people in the Cowboy State. I'm telling you, there is not a story that I've come across recently that is more interesting than Jessica Lippincott’s story.
This story is one that is made for TV, movie, and I just think it's fascinating that Jessica, who is a Wyoming native, that she's lived here most of her life, and she has been a paleontologist. Well, I'm going to let her tell you a little bit about her background, but you're going to want to stick around for this story, because it's a great story.
So Jessica, hello, welcome, welcome, welcome.
Jessica Lippincott:
Hi. Thanks for having me on.
Wendy Corr:
I think this is going to be a lot of fun. So I started to tell people a little bit about what you do, and I want to introduce you as that, because you're very experienced, you're a scientist, you're a paleontologist. Tell us about the work that you do.
Jessica Lippincott:
So I, my background is in paleontology, and I worked in that for, oh, my goodness, almost 30 years. I started. I started working at the Tate Museum in Casper when I was still in high school, and so that's kind of how I got started into that and I currently, I don't work at the museum anymore, but I still do paleontology on the side.
And I'm very active with a paleo documentary called “Why Dinosaurs?”, so I'm one of the executive producers for that. So we've kind of gone all over the country screening this movie, and we're getting ready to go to Australia, actually, in the summer to do that, to do an Australian tour. So, so yeah, I still do lots of paleo stuff on the side.
Wendy Corr:
We may have to come back to that, because I think that's fascinating in itself, that whole topic. So we may, we may touch on that before we're done with the podcast today.
But Jessica, you are a scientist, and you're curious about things, and even from a young age, you were curious about your own background. Tell us about growing up. You were an only child, but your childhood was a little different than most people's. So tell us about the very dramatic turns that your childhood took.
Jessica Lippincott:
Yeah, so when, when I was two, who I thought was my biological father, he kidnapped me, and that happened in Casper, actually in Mills, and I was gone for about three months. I don't have a lot of memory of it. I just have two, two distinct memories that I remember.
And it was kind of a very traumatic thing that happened, you know, as a kid, and it kind of paved the way of my life, I guess you could say, in a subconscious way. And so after I was recovered, I didn't talk for a while, and then I really remember questioning myself and a lot of things as a kid.
And I used to ask my mom all the time if I was adopted, because I felt like I was, I was a lot different than my cousins or anyone else in my family. And I used to say, I think I have brothers and sisters. And she's like, she said, No, you don't. You don't have any, you know. And I'm like, Are you sure? I really feel like I do? And I remember asking her that at probably five or six years old, like all the time.
Wendy Corr:
Something inside you at that time, because you had no proof, yeah, nothing. There was nothing. But you just kept asking your mom if you had brothers and sisters.
Jessica Lippincott:
Yeah, I just, I just felt like something was different. Something was totally off and growing up, I had a very distinctive interest in science. So my first science fair project was about planets. I've always liked medicine. I used to want to be a surgeon, and then kind of switched to marine biology and then eventually geology and paleontology.
So, yeah, I've always had an interest in the sciences throughout my life.
Wendy Corr:
So science, you took that interest in those skills, the things that you learned, and said, Maybe I should apply this to my own life. Tell us about your decision to do some science work on your own background.
Jessica Lippincott:
So in 2013 my mom had passed away, but before she passed away, I remember asking her about who I thought was my real father, because of what he had done to me, I didn't have any contact with him. He had gone to jail and it was always kind of like shunned, like we didn't talk about it.
And so I knew my mom was terminally ill, and I started asking her questions about his family and what he was like, and she started to answer them, and then all of a sudden, she said, you know, it doesn't really matter anyways, because he's probably not your dad. And I thought, what you know, what are you talking about? And she said that they had gone to a fertility clinic and had used a donor, a sperm donor.
And I asked her a couple more questions, and she answered them, and then she got very upset, and so I didn't push it anymore, just because she was so sick, and I just didn't want to get her upset. But after she passed away, I kept wondering, you know, was she right? Was she being serious?
And so in 2017 I did a 23 and Me test and sent that off. And I was really more interested in the medical side, if there was some sort of disease or something that I was subjected to. That's kind of what I was really interested in, and that's what I clicked on for a few hours, actually, after I got my results.
And then I clicked on DNA relatives and opened up a whole can of worms.
Wendy Corr:
Oh, my goodness. Jessica, you made the decision that ended up changing the course of your personal life. And tell me what you were feeling when you first saw the list of potential relatives, of people who you matched DNA with.
Jessica Lippincott:
Yeah, so when I clicked on DNA relatives, the first person that popped up was a gentleman, and it shows how much DNA you share with that person. And it said 50%. And then it'll have a match like your brother, sister, etc. And it said your father.
And I saw that, and thought, What in the world? And then there was all these other people listed under it. I think there was maybe six or seven at that time that said half sibling, half sibling. And I just was like, What is going on?
And then I remembered what my mom had said, and I remember, I gasped, and, like, covered my mouth and thought she was right. She was telling the truth. And so then I just kind of went on this huge Google search of who all these people were.
Wendy Corr:
I just want to interrupt here, because I can't imagine. Were you working at that time? You had a job and you had responsibilities, but then all of a sudden, your life turns, you get information that completely pulls the rug out from under you, and everything that you knew. Did you take a day off of work? Because I would have.
Jessica Lippincott:
Unfortunately, I couldn't. So when I found out, it was about 10:30 at night and the next morning, I was doing a big presentation for fourth graders at the Washakie Museum, and so I couldn't call in sick or anything like that.
But I was just in a state of shock. I don't think I got much sleep. The next morning, I woke up and thought, was this real? Did this really happen? And throughout the day of work, I'm like, checking my phone and just trying to understand what was going on, because people were messaging me, and I didn't know how to accept it.
Wendy Corr:
So who was messaging you?
Jessica Lippincott:
I had a few sisters that were sending me messages.
Wendy Corr:
How did they find out about you?
Jessica Lippincott:
So when I first did the test, well, when I first got my results, I sent the person that said, my father, I sent him a message like, Hey, I just took this test and it's showing that you're my father? And he responded right away and said, Yes, I was a sperm donor in Southern California in the 1970s and your brothers and sisters will be excited to hear about you.
And I thought, what? What's going on? So, yeah.
Wendy Corr:
So you all of a sudden, after being an only child, were told, I'm going to cry, your brothers and sisters are going to be welcoming to you? How did that make you feel? I mean, that just had to have rocked your world.
Jessica Lippincott:
It did it. I was, I think I was more wondering, like, do they talk to each other? You know, like, like, I don't understand - it was really the relationship, yeah, and I didn't know how to really proceed and move forward, I guess, at that time.
But then almost immediately, I felt a sense of relief. Of, everything makes sense now, because I had questioned so much my whole life, like I was always trying to seek something out and to do research and things like that, that just everything just made sense.
Wendy Corr:
So it just fell into place there and everything was logical. So you found out that you had six or seven siblings at that point. At what point did you realize that, wait a minute, there's a lot more here, and there are a lot more kids than I'm related to? Tell me about that.
Jessica Lippincott:
So I think there was only about six or seven that was on the 23 and Me website. There were some more on the Ancestry site that hadn't done the 23 and Me. So I think I was about number 13 when I found out.
And I think it was the next year, 2018 seemed to be a big year for a lot of people doing the test, because I remember we had a lot of siblings that popped up that year, and that's kind of when we all were like, holy cow. Like, how many more could there be? It took about nine months for the reality to kind of wear off and to accept it.
But yeah, it was definitely about the next year when most of the siblings started popping up a lot.
Wendy Corr:
So tell me about the first time that you met your siblings.
Jessica Lippincott:
So I did the test in, I got my results end of april 2017, and about four days after I found out, I got a message from a sister that said, Hey, I know you just found out, but we're getting together next weekend, like all of us is a reunion, and we'd love for you to to come down and meet us.
And at first I thought, No way, like, No, I can't do this, you know, I was scared. And then I thought, well, what if I don't go? I could, you know, kind of regret it. And then I thought, well, if I don't get along with these people, I can just leave.
So I ended up going, and I met one sister first, and then one brother. And it was very surreal. And I remember my sister, like looking at me and we were eating lunch, and I kind of tear my food apart, like I destroy my food, and just kind of leave it like that. And she took a picture and said, Oh my goodness, this is how I eat, too. And so I thought that was a little strange.
Wendy Corr:
But all these little things that we don't think of as being genetically passed along, but habits like that, that is so interesting. Did you talk to your siblings? I'm sure you did, and asked them what their reactions were. Did they have similar experiences to you in how they found out that they were the, you know, the child of a donor?
Jessica Lippincott:
Yeah, we've all talked about that, on how we found out and where and and kind of how we all took it. And there were some siblings that thought that maybe their parents had had, you know, an affair of some sort, and so they kind of sat their parents down and, you know, confronted them about it, and then the parents told the truth and said, you know, oh, we used a fertility doctor.
Because I would say 90% of my siblings had no idea, and their parents never told them, and they weren't ever planning on to tell them, so they didn't know until they did the test, and then once they asked their parent, hey, this DNA test says this, Then they were kind of caught and said, Okay, yep, this is what, this is what happened.
But they all kind of were in shock, to say the least, it seems like.
Wendy Corr:
To say the least, yes, absolutely. So here's the big reveal, though, you are now up to how many siblings, how many of you are there?
Jessica Lippincott:
There's 50 confirmed.
Wendy Corr:
So that is a big family. At what point did they start doing the reunions? Did they start saying, oh, let's, let's all get together as siblings?
Jessica Lippincott:
So they had had one prior to me finding out, and I think there was only maybe five or six at that time that got together with their kids. And so then when I found out, that was the second one, and it seems like every few years, we'll try to organize a reunion of some sort, but it's it's a little difficult.
Because there's so many of us and so many nieces and nephews, and we're trying to find a place that will house all of us. Like at a hotel and dinners and lunches and things like that, because it's like a giant wedding party, basically. So it's a little difficult.
Wendy Corr:
But here's the other great part that I think, is that it's not just your siblings that get together. Your father comes to these, and that is fantastic. Tell us, I know you don't want to reveal his name, and that's perfectly fine, but tell us about the man who is your biological father. What do you know? What have you learned about him in the past few years?
Jessica Lippincott:
So he is a scientist as well. He was a professor at a couple different universities, and his background is in space, so astronomy, and I thought that was pretty wild, considering what my first science fair project was about. But he's a very nice, kind person. He's really great.
And a lot of the donors that I've seen on other groups and things like that, don't want to have anything to do with their donor kids. And he's always been very open with us and answered any questions. And he never had to, you know, he didn't have to do that. And so I'm very thankful that he's willing to do that.
But, yeah, he loves music and art, and I was an art student in high school, and I played violin for a long time, and a lot of us played musical instruments, and we all have a big art background and and science background, so it was pretty wild to see.
And then finding out all of that really was like, Well, of course, this makes sense on why I'm so weird and I love these things. And so, yeah, it all came together. It was like the missing piece of a puzzle was finally found.
Wendy Corr:
That is so fantastic. Do you guys have a name for yourselves? I mean, do you have a name for your group?
Jessica Lippincott:
Not really. No.
Wendy Corr:
So tell me then about your siblings, and are you closer to some than to others?
Jessica Lippincott:
Yeah. So I do have a brother that lives in Colorado, and so he's the closest brother that I have, and so we're kind of close, just because I see him more than some of the other brothers. But I have a couple sisters that I get along with a lot better, I guess, or we're kind of goofy with and that sort of thing.
And then there's some siblings that don't want to have any contact with us at all too, so, which is unfortunate in a way, just because I think we're really cool. We’re a lot of fun, and I think they're missing out, but maybe one day, they'll come around.
I was just in California because a lot of my siblings live there, and I did get to meet up with them a few weeks ago, with some of them, so that was really great to be able to do.
Wendy Corr:
One of the things that you and I talked about before we got on the call, before we started recording the podcast, is the fact that there's such physical similarities, not just in the way that you do your food, but I mean, you look alike.
Tell me about your reaction when you started seeing people's like, wait a minute, she looks like me. Tell me about that.
Jessica Lippincott:
So we all do look alike. We all have dimples, it seems like, so that's kind of one of the very first things when we find a new sibling. Like, oh, do they have dimples? And it seems like we all have the same eyes and also nose, and then the cheekbones are kind of the same.
But when I first saw one of my sisters who looks just like me, I swear, like, she could be a twin, I just kept looking at her, going, is this what I look like from the side or from the back or from the front. You know, it was like looking in a mirror almost, and like wondering, like, wow, this is what I look like.
Wendy Corr:
So, yeah, you all belong to a very exclusive club. Now tell me about how this experience has changed you, and the way that you look at the world, the way you look at your career and the things that you do. Has learning this information changed your life? How has it changed your life?
Jessica Lippincott:
So it definitely felt - well at the time, I felt very alone because my mom had passed away, my stepdad, who raised me, he had passed away 10-12 years before that, so it was just me, and when I bought the test, it was right after Christmas, and I just remember that Christmas feeling just so isolated in a way.
My husband's family is great. And I love them so much, but it's, it's different not having your own family around too, you know. And after finding out, it definitely, my heart has been filled in a way that I can't really describe. And I'm just, I'm very thankful to have found out.
I just wish I would have done the test years before, or known way before. But yeah, I feel a lot happier. And I just know that, you know, I have sisters and brothers out there that I can call for advice or or whatever, if I'm having a bad day, that sort of thing. So it's like I have all these new best friends.
Wendy Corr:
That is just absolutely fantastic. How do people find out about your story? I mean, because it seems like there would be other donor kids out there who might want to follow the same path that your family has done. I mean, what advice do you have to people for, like, doing the DNA test, if they've got questions?
Jessica Lippincott:
I think they should do the DNA test. You know, if there's people out there that have been adopted or donor conceived, to do the test, because you may find out things about yourself that you were always kind of questioning, like, why do I do this this way? Or, Why do I have this interest, that sort of thing?
Unfortunately, not every donor is wanting to have that relationship, but hopefully they would answer some medical questions at least, and if they have donor siblings, they could develop relationships with them.
Because I definitely, you know, I'm thankful and happy that I found who my biological father is, but I have this huge, much bigger connection to my brothers and sisters, rather than my father, I guess you could say, and to me, that's great.
Like, it's something I never knew what it would feel like, because I wasn't raised with siblings, so it's like, I'm trying to catch up on all these years that I've missed.
Wendy Corr:
And now you've got nieces and nephews, so you have this huge extended family. I want to give a shout out to Andrew Rossi, Cowboy State Daily reporter who first told this story on Cowboy State Daily. And I'll link the story in the story notes here.
But you worked with Andrew at the Thermopolis dinosaur center, and he's got some pictures, and that's why I'm mentioning this. He's got pictures on his original story of you with some of your siblings. And I just think that the resemblance is remarkable for all of you.
And I think that the fact that you have been able to find this, really is a testament to this brand new technology, these advancements in science that have allowed us to find these. As a scientist, are you fascinated by the process?
Jessica Lippincott:
I am. I really am. I'm really interested, actually, in the familial DNA that's solving crimes and things like that, because this is kind of how they do it. They do like a genealogical tree, and they narrow everything down. And it's really interesting.
My daughter, actually, my oldest daughter, is going to college right now, and she's kind of interested in genetics. She's a microbiology major, so she's not sure what she wants to do, but I think the genetics definitely interests her quite a bit.
Wendy Corr:
Well, I'm going to refer to a podcast from two weeks ago, and I'm going to suggest that if you're interested in Jessica's story and you haven't watched the podcast from two weeks ago, where I visited with Dr. Hud Freeze, Hudson Freeze, he is the the undergraduate student who scooped the bacteria out of the hot springs in Yellowstone National Park that ended up being the key to being able to do all of this DNA work.
And so I highly suggest that you guys look up Dr. Hudson Freeze or watch the podcast from a couple of weeks ago, because what you're talking about here is the culmination of the work that he started back in 1966, I believe it was. So I think that's fantastic.
I want to wrap up this section of the podcast because I do want to go back and visit about the project that Jessica is working on. But this segment has just been phenomenal and so interesting. Let's talk about the other science now. Let's talk about the paleontology. Let's talk about dinosaurs for just a few minutes and tell us about this film project that you're working on, Jessica.
Jessica Lippincott:
Yeah, so back in 2019, I had seen an Instagram post from Tony Pinto, and he had started this documentary that he was filming with his son James, and they were wanting to interview paleontologists and kind of asking the question, why people love dinosaurs. You know, what is it that makes you just be attracted to dinosaurs or anything dinosaur?
And so I had invited them out to Thermopolis to dig with us and to film and that sort of thing. And so we did, and I just kind of developed this great relationship with their family, and I've helped them out with the film on editing and things like that.
And so we did a screening last year in 2023, kind of a test run to see what people's feedback would be. And then in 2024 we started screening it at different film festivals, and we went to the UK and did a whole screening around England, and we've taken awards - or I shouldn't say we. So Tony and James, they've taken awards at various film festivals across the US, and they're winning awards, which is really great.
We had one up in Sheridan, and I think there's one coming up, actually, in Casper at the end of January or February. I need to check my dates, but, but yeah, so that's what I'm working on with them. And we're planning a trip to Australia this summer, and so we'll be filming at different or screening, sorry, at different museums or science centers, things like that.
So it's very exciting and it helps kind of get the word out in that it's a movie for anyone, so kids, adults, hobbyists, professionals. It covers the whole nine yards in there, and it's really great.
Wendy Corr:
And so you focus, and you have a focus on the Wyoming dinosaur center, and what dinosaurs that were found in Wyoming in this as well.
Jessica Lippincott:
So in that segment, it talks about how you find a dinosaur, like what you're looking for in the field, how to excavate it, how to prepare it in the lab, and then curate it, basically. So it shows kind of all of that.
Wendy Corr:
That is so much fun. Oh my gosh. So where can we see it? Is that going to be available for us to see it? Since we can't go to Australia.
Jessica Lippincott:
Yeah, so it will be out on PBS pretty soon. I don't have a date yet, but it will definitely be out on PBS.
Wendy Corr:
That's going to be great. Jessica, this has been a fascinating conversation on two different fronts, and I'm so glad that we were able to make this work today. Jessica, what an interesting life you've had, and it sounds like you've really got some exciting things going on, especially with your family.
And we're so grateful that you took some time and told us your story, because it's a fantastic story, and it sounds like it had such a great happy ending.
Jessica Lippincott:
Yeah, it did. And I was gonna say, I was working with Andrew when I found out, you know, so really been there from the from, like, the beginning, basically. And I remember telling him, and he was just like, blown away. Like, what, oh, my goodness. And then I'd find another sibling and be like, I found another sibling, and this is what they do.
So, yeah, it's really, it's really been an interesting, amazing ride.
Wendy Corr:
Well, we are glad that you shared it with us, and we're grateful for Andrew for being able to share it with us as well, so that we knew to get a hold of you. So Jessica, thank you, and good luck in your film. “Why Dinosaurs?” is going to be coming to PBS soon, and Jessica, we will expect you to keep us in the loop on that, so that we can make sure that everyone gets a chance to see it!
Jessica Lippincott:
Absolutely.
Wendy Corr:
All right. Thank you! And thank you, folks, for tuning into The Roundup. What a fun episode today. We're so glad that you were able to be here with us. We have so many more great guests coming up. So please stay tuned here to Cowboy State Daily’s The Roundup. We'll check out who's coming up next week.
And if you have ideas for other great guests, please let me know. We want to be able to highlight the best of who we have here in the Cowboy State. Have a great week. Folks, thank you - Jessica, thank you.
