To say the least, the Dahm Triplets had been born into interesting lives. It is already unusual to be born as a trio, but growing up with a life like theirs made things even more interesting for these sisters. However, the most fascinating thing about their lives happened after they took a DNA test together. Not a single person in the world could have figured out the result that the identical triplets received.
We are sure that you would not have suspected what they showed either. Don’t believe us? Keep reading.
Triple The Trouble
In December of 1977, the world welcomed the birth of the Dahm triplets: Nicole, Erica, and Jaclyn. Apart from the three lovely girls, there was another Dahm child, also a girl. Have you ever considered just how rare it is to give birth to triplets?
The truth is that it can be dangerous to carry more than a single child, because complications often happen. On top of that, many parents feel stress upon hearing such an unexpected development.
Tattooing The Triplets
All parents will tell you that parenthood is a challenging and daunting task. You can probably imagine how hard it must be to raise twins, but it can be even more difficult to raise triplets. A lot of people eventually tell identical siblings apart by their personalities. However, this trick will not work when you are dealing with infants. Most babies behave in the same manner!
Tattooing The Triplets
The Dahm parents had to come up with an amazing way to tell which baby girl was which, but you might think it is more than a little strange. The couple went ahead and gave the children their first tattoos! That is right, the Dahm parents placed tiny dots on the babies’ bums so that they could tell them apart. The dots were based on the order of their birth. This is the reason firstborn Nicole had one on her rear and Erica, who was born next, had two on hers. However, they decided not to give Jaclyn one since it was no longer necessary. It was a good thing they did not go for anything wild, and the tattoos could now pass off as mere freckles.
As They Grew Up
The Dahm triplets grew up in Jordan, a small town in the state of Minnesota. There were less than 30,000 people living there. It was a tiny town, so it meant that the sisters stood out even more than they would have if they were in a big city.
As They Grew Up
The girls had a great childhood, constantly on the move, playing various sports and traveling the country with their parents. Thanks to the size of their town, they were close with almost everyone in school.
Close As Can Be
Most people are under the belief that multiple-birth siblings are close to the point of inseparability. This was true for the Dahm triplets as well! Even though others started to develop their own sense of style as soon as they got the chance, the three of them continue to maintain this aspect of their “triplet-ness”.
Close As Can Be
At one point, Nicole even told Playboy magazine, “We rarely hold our own identity. We were always known as ‘you three’ or ‘the Triplets’.” In fact, some might even go as far as to say that the sisters only earned their separate identities after they all tied the knot.
Their Big Break
When they were in their teens, the girls started to get even more attention. We doubt that you will be surprised to hear that many people told them to go into modeling! A lot of people thought that this field was perfect for them. However, it is not ideal to embark on such a career when you come from a small town because opportunities were definitely scarce.
Their Big Break
It was a good thing that the girls got to participate in the competition called “The Great Model Search” run by Teen Magazine. They were 16 years old at the time. The best thing about it was that they ended up winning! This was their chance to branch out. The three girls appeared on the cover of Teen Magazine, and this fetched them even more opportunities in the industry.
What They Planned
When they were about to graduate from high school, they started to talk about the plans they had for the future. Like their peers, it was time to start thinking of a career path. They decided to put aside their blossoming career and hoped to study nursing at the University of Minnesota instead! Don’t you think it is great that still wanted to work together in such a noble profession?
What They Planned
However, this plan did not become a reality since they saw a flyer on campus that went on to change their lives forever. It was a flyer that advertised a contest hosted by Playboy. It turns out the magazine was on the lookout for models who could join the “Girls of the Big Ten Special Edition”!
Taking A Risk
It was too good an opportunity for them to simply pass it up. However, was it going to be worth it? They talked about the matter carefully since they knew that there were certain things associated with the publication. It was a huge decision since they were going to be vulnerable in front of the entire world. More than anything, they needed to decide if they were ready to do such a thing.
Taking A Risk
In the end, the triplets made up their mind after they received encouragement from their family. Nicole, Jaclyn, and Erica then talked to a casting agent who was blown away by the natural beauty and charm the three of them possessed. At that point, they could no longer take back their decision because it was now time for them to disrobe and participate in a test shoot for Playboy. It was a huge moment for the triplets, and it became a winning one as well! They emerged victorious from this. The Dahm sisters made history by becoming the first triplets to be featured on the Playboy centerfold.
High Risk But High Reward
The moment they decided to work with Playboy for the issue, they knew that it was no longer viable to go to nursing school like they originally had in mind. Aside from that, they knew that they could not avoid the criticism that they were going to receive after posing for the magazine. No one expected that they would do such a thing. However, their parents encouraged them to do it if they wanted to.
High Risk But High Reward
No matter what other people said, they were glad that they could support one another the entire way. After they posed for the magazine, the Dahm triplets participated in an interview for the 1998 spread. Jaclyn said, “We would never have done this (modeled for Playboy) as individuals.” It is clear that the triplets drew confidence from one another. They did not know it at the time, but the modeling contract would serve as a stepping stone for the myriad opportunities coming their way.
Going Into Hollywood
Upon their arrival in Hollywood, the girls could not fend away the opportunities that people presented them with. Many aspiring actor or actress often had a hard time in the beginning, although the Dahm triplets never ran out of opportunities. It had to do with their novelty, of course. After all, it is not every single day that you see three identical yet breathtaking women!
Going Into Hollywood
Not long after they debuted, the girls landed roles in many television shows. This includes the hit TV show called Boy Meets World. They played three lovely sisters who lived in the same dorm that Eric and Jack did. You are wrong to think that it marked the end of their career in show business. At one point, they even appeared on Family Feud with their older sister and father. It is even more impressive when you learn that they took home $10,000!
The Love Of Her Life
More offers came in for the triplets. They also appeared on the big screen when they were on Pauly Shore and Juwanna Mann. Aside from that, they made an appearance in House Wars. During the episode, they won against their dad and his interior design, so they ended up winning the home that they designed. They were also on Renovate My Family, which went on to change their lives forever.
The Love Of Her Life
Erika, the second-born triplet, got to meet Jay McGraw on the set of the show. If the name sounds familiar to you, it might be because he is the son of Dr. Phil! He was the host of the show, and they got along very well. It seems like they are the victims of love at first sight! They soon went on a first date.
The Couple That Works Together
Jay and Erica sitting on a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G. We know that sounds childish, but there was nothing juvenile about the love they shared. This relationship was only the start of the events that led to the DNA test result that rocked the world. Erica and Jay decided to tie the knot in 2006. Both Jay and Dr. Phil worked as producers for a TV show called The Doctors. On the show, a panel of doctors discussed a number of health topics and issues.
The Couple That Works Together
Dr. Travis Stork might be known for his appearance on The Bachelor, but he worked as a host on the show. Dr. Andrew Ordon worked alongside him. Apparently, it was Jay who thought to invite the triplets to appear in the show. They wanted the triplets to share their insights on some health issues.
Asking For Her Hand
Jay made a guest appearance on his dad’s TV show in preparation for their engagement announcement. He wanted to use it as a platform to talk about the details of the events leading up to the wedding. He told everyone in the audience just how much he adored his partner. He described the trip that the two of them took to his hometown of Dallas in Texas. It was during this time that he went down on his knees and asked her to “spend the rest of her life with me”.
Asking For Her Hand
The audience members, show guests, and hosts were all thrilled to hear such a thing! They got even more excited when they showed off the ring that he used to propose to Erica. It was a beautiful five-carat platinum ring that came with a diamond and a number of gorgeous green emeralds.
Her Maids Of Honor
It is unthinkable to have a wedding where one’s sisters would not even make it to the wedding party. There is nothing more natural than for Erica to ask her best friends Jaclyn and Nicole to serve as her bridesmaids! The two accepted this opportunity. We are sure that wedding planning had been a breeze with her sisters by her side. On another note, it also made the event aesthetics easier than usual.
Her Maids Of Honor
The bridesmaids had been dressed in these jaw-dropping bridesmaid gowns under the direction of Bradley Bayou. Meanwhile, Erica herself donned this fantastic custom bridal gown by Chado Ralph Rucci.
The Wedding Of Their Dreams
The wedding between Erica and Jay happened in August 2006 at the Beverly Hills property owned by Dr. Phil and his wife Robin. At this point in time, the couple has been married for more than a decade and continue to be happily married. They wrote their wedding vows for the huge ceremony all by themselves. In total, their big day was attended by 400 of their friends and family members!
The Wedding Of Their Dreams
It ended up becoming a rather overwhelming event for both of them. Of course, it was also a big deal for their parents. According to Robin McGraw, Dr. Phil got teary-eyed at the wedding as well! Both of the McGraw parents shed tears of joy as they watched their son walk down the aisle with the girl of his dreams. It meant that Erica was now a member of the family as well!
His Famous Father
When Jay married Erica, he also married into a famous family on top of coming from one. Dr. Phil was a producer on the hit TV that everyone seems to know. We are talking about the popular talk show Dr. Phil, of course. The host already knew Erica before the wedding and liked her from the start. He must have been glad that she was going to be his daughter-in-law.
His Famous Father
Allegedly, Dr. Phil had been excited when Jay told him that he was planning to propose to his then-girlfriend. In fact, his old man encouraged him to do it! The two of them were close enough that Jay asked Dr. Phil to become his best man at the wedding. He said that his folks “love [Erica] almost as much as I do”. We have to admit that we feel jealous of how things worked out for them!
Three Families Together
Luckily for her sisters, it was not only Erica who ended up finding the man of her dreams. Jaclyn, the youngest triplet, also found love when she met Billy Dolan. The two post a lot of photos with their friends on their social media accounts. They seem to be on very good terms with Jay and Erica because they often go on vacations together! Nicole also found her true love in the form of her now-husband, Michael Kelly.
Three Families Together
Even though things have changed, their relationship is as close as ever. The closeness even extended to the families and to their own children. Each of their kids had a cousin their own age, so they always had a great time playing together when the families got together. We sure are glad to hear that everything ended up working out well for all three of them.
On The Doctors
The Doctors, Dr. Phil’s show, occasionally invited celebrity guests to appear on the show. This is how the Dahm triplets ended up there. Their first appearance did well ratings-wise, so they started to appear on the show on the regular. They often talked about different women’s health issues and topics that revolved around their perspectives.
On The Doctors
The son and father worked as producers on the show. They came up with a great idea for a segment that was going to attract the attention of their viewers. The Dahm triplets did not know that they were going to experience a life-changing moment when they started to guest star there!
The Pregnant Triplets!
It was great to see the triplets go on the show because they were always so insightful and pleasant. They definitely made for a rare sight, and it helped that they raked in great ratings for the show. However, people were more interested to hear about their interesting medical problems and experiences! It turns out that they did not plan on marrying so close to one another. Soon, their fans learned about another thing that they experienced without planning it in advance. They fell pregnant around the same time!
The Pregnant Triplets
It was a big milestone for the triplets because we all know that pregnancy is basically a huge miracle in itself. However, it was incredible that they were all expecting within months of each other. There was no way that The Doctors would miss out on such an opportunity.
Three Girls Again
It was in 2010 that the Dahm triplets gave birth to their first-born children. No, the coincidences did not end when they got married and fell pregnant at nearly the same time. Another impressive coincidence happened when they ended up giving birth to girls as well.
Three Girls Again
When you consider the statistics, it seems like the Dahm triplets were blessed. As new mothers hoping to get parenthood right, they decided it was best to lay low and stay away from the spotlight so that they could focus on their families. However, it was not surprising when they ended up under the limelight once more. They have been attracting a lot of attention since they could remember, after all.
Making A Comeback
They gave birth to their respective first children in 2010. The triplets stayed out of the limelight until March 2017. By then, they also delivered their second-born children. This time, they had been blessed with boys! Since Jay and Phil were producers for The Doctors, they cooked up a way to bring them back on the show. At this point in time, DNA tests for genealogy purposes had been gaining traction. This is the reason the father and son duo thought that it would be a great pitch to try out the reliability of these tests.
Making A Comeback
They also invited Lisa Guerrero of Inside Edition to help with the research. They had identical life experiences on top of their identical genes, so they thought that no one would make for better test subjects! This was the way to go about it since they wanted to check the reliability of the tests.
Against All Odds
We know that it is amazing that they got pregnant and gave birth to their daughters only months away from each other. However, they managed to replicate the experience when they gave birth to their second-born children as well! The triplets now had daughters and sons as firstborns and secondborns. Who would have thought it was even possible?
Against All Odds
Such a thing sounded like a wish that would never come true. However, the triplets could make it possible if anyone could. Still, we bet they considered it to be a blessing. The kids had best friends without needing to make an effort, and this made things easier for the families. The triplets have gone through a lot together, from posing for Playboy to raising their similarly-aged kids.
Getting More Popular
Perhaps you have also noticed just how popular DNA ancestry test kids have been getting recently. This is because they make it possible to conduct a quick test in the comfort of your own home. It is no longer prohibitively expensive or inaccessible like it used to be. The tests supposedly break down the details of your ethnicity and lineage.
Getting More Popular
There are several companies that distribute kits like this one. Two of the biggest brands in the field happen to be Ancestry and 23andMe. Even though they claim that the kits are positively accurate and reliable, some have pointed out that there is no way such tests could detect one’s heritage to a tee. Among the claims they made, only one thing is for certain: there is indeed a large rise in the popularity of DNA test kits like this these.
Do It Yourself
Science and research have sure come a long way! These days, it is now possible to track down your lineage with the use of these things. In the past, no one would believe you if you told them that this would ever become possible. If you want to try it out for yourself, you first need to buy an ancestry kit for about $100 to $200. Needless to say, you should only ever do business with a reputable company.
Do It Yourself
Inside the kit, you will see a vial that you need to use for a sample of your sample. This will provide the DNA that they will then work with. Although a lot of people do not think it is a good idea to do such a thing, others say that it is an easy way to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the results.
Surprises All Around
After you provide them a saliva sample, you need to send it to the company through the mail. The next thing to do is to sit back and wait for the results of your test. Normally, you will find the information about your ancestors such as their place of origin. Sometimes, you might even find connections to your living relatives that you might not even have even known existed.
Surprises All Around
The Dahm triplets had been asked to give it a shot during one episode of The Doctors. We are sure that most people expected them to have identical results since they had the same genetic makeup. However, this was not the case for Nicole, Jaclyn, and Erica Dahm.
Identical Triplets, Identical DNA
Test results normally only come in a couple of weeks after you send your saliva sample. This was exactly what the Dahm triplets went through. They did not expect to see anything out of the ordinary from the results. They were identical triplets, so they expected to receive the same results.
Identical Triplets, Identical DNA
Was it accurate? Lisa Guerrero of Inside Edition already had doubts about the tests from the very beginning. She thought it was nothing more than a huge marketing strategy employed by companies. The journalist did not think that it could come up with accurate results. After several weeks, the triplets got an invite to return to the set for the big reveal.
Fascination With Genetics
Erica, Jaclyn, and Nicole Dahm have already gone through such a fascinating journey together. The triplets started out as a set of naturally-born triplets from Minnesota. In the beginning, they got a lot of attention in school and then at the University of Minnesota. They have all been Playboy models, Hollywood stars, mothers… This time, they were going to reveal the results of the DNA they took on live television.
Fascination With Genetics
In all honesty, we would not be surprised if they decide to have their biographies written together. They shared a mutual interest in biology and genetics as well. Do not forget that they used to be interested in becoming nurses when they were younger. Since that did not come into fruition, this may well be the most significant contribution they gave the health industry. Let us find out if they learned anything new from the 23andMe results.
Revealing The Results
The company they ended up going with was 23andMe. It was popular for the ancestral DNA testing they did, but they stood out from the rest because they offered health risks and other important information. When they revealed the first half of the results, most people did not learn anything new about them. Others were reminded of the fact that being identical triplets meant you had the same genetic makeup.
Revealing The Results
However, everyone was surprised when they found out that Erica managed to crack Nicole’s safe with the use of her own fingers. It is not something you should worry about if you are not a twin, but it is shocking to hear that their fingerprints were also similar.
Expect The Unexpected
The mystery only got even deeper when they went into the second part of the big reveal. It was time for them to show the audience members what their ethnic makeups were supposedly like. Considering the fact that they were triplets, their ancestors are exactly the same. The sisters did not only have the same parents but were also in utero at the same time.
Expect The Unexpected
In reality, the Dahm sisters did not feel interested in it because they thought it was simply too predictable. However, the fascinating part about this is that they turned out to be wrong. The results ended up straying from their expectations. The sisters, audience members, and hosts were all shocked by what they saw.
Not The Same
No one was surprised to learn that the three of them turned out to be 99% European. This is not the part people could not believe. No, it was actually the breakdown of that European ethnicity. What they learned ended up shocking even the doctors on the TV show.
Not The Same
First of all, Erica found out that she was 16% Irish and British. Meanwhile, Nicole learned that she got 18% for the same ethnicities. It is pretty minor, so perhaps you can also let it slide. However, what came next was not this insignificant.
Unidentical Breakdowns
They initially thought they received accurate test results, but this was not the case! The results from the 23and Me test revealed that they all have French and German heritage as well. However, they all displayed considerably different breakdowns. Nicole got 11%, Erica had 22.3%, and Jaclyn received 18%.
Unidentical Breakdowns
Unlike the first difference, all three statistics showed a rather drastic difference. They were supposed to have identical genetic makeup! On the show, they showed the results on the screen. The members of the audience could not believe what they saw. The sisters were even more confused than they were.
The Last Part
The last part that they revealed on the show was their Scandinavian heritage. It came as a shock as well. Jaclyn and Erica both got 7.4%, whereas Nicole received 11.4% instead. This was much higher than what her sisters got. How confusing was that?
The Last Part
The three sisters, the doctors, the audience members, and the Inside Edition journalist were all in disbelief. How was such a thing even possible? It turns out that the DNA test kits could tell us a lot about DNA science in a way.
His Own Thoughts
The entire set was in a state of confusion by then. However, no one was more shocked than the triplets themselves. They did not know how it was even possible. Nicole said, “I’m surprised. I’m surprised because we came from the same egg and DNA. How are our ancestries different?” Dr. Travis Stork, one of the hosts, then expressed his doubts about the way the experiment was conducted.
His Own Thoughts
Its sounded like a marketing gimmick more than anything. He said that these tests should only be taken for fun instead of serious ancestral and ethnicity purposes. Inside Edition featured the story on the show with two other sets of triplets. They also tried out DNA test kids from other companies.
A Grain Of Salt
Dr. Stork even said, “I think the answer here is that we’ve come so far in terms of genetic testing, but you can’t just spit in a cup and have every single answer that you are looking for.” When Inside Edition did an episode about the same concept, the other sets of triplets received results similar to what the Dahm triplets got. Only a single set of triplets got very close results when they used the kit from Ancestry DNA.
A Grain Of Salt
Perhaps we will get to expect a more streamlined and accurate result in the future. However, it is much better to take the kits with a grain of salt in the meantime. If you are really curious, try to remind yourself that it cannot be 100% accurate just yet.
What She Thought
Lisa Guerrero is the journalist from Inside Edition who was invited by the producers of The Doctors. In the beginning, she mentioned her doubts about the DNA test kits. It did not seem possible to tell your entire ancestry and ethnicity from a kit you could do in your own home. She did not believe that you can do that by spitting and then sending it over to the company.
What She Thought
However, she also admitted that she felt an interest in giving it a shot as well. Lisa said that it would be interesting to see what her results would say. According to her, she knew that her mother had Latino origins and her father had English ancestry. However, she wanted to check if there were things she did not know about her background. It seems like joining the show to tackle the ancestry of the triplets made her curious about her origins as well.
A Different Method
When it comes to accurate results, the at-home DNA test kits could still be improved. However, they seemed to provide a sufficient amount of insight to one’s ancestral and ethnic backgrounds. Lisa talked about how curious she got about her genetic makeup as well. However, she said that she would likely try out a different method to explore her ethnic background since she did not expect the at-home kits to be all that accurate.
A Different Method
She instead planned to have a medical professional or even a scientist conduct a personalized test. We are sure that it is going to be considerably more expensive than the kits, although this stood a better chance of giving accurate results. If you are running on a tight budget, however, the at-home DNA test its will probably do just fine.
What They Learned
If there was something that the Dahm triplets could be positive about, it was the fact that they did not expect to see different test results when they were on live television. We bet that the results would be closer if they went with a professional genetic scientist instead.
What They Learned
Despite everything, the triplets shared that this experience had been fun for them. It also gave them a lot of insights when it comes to using these at-home DNA test kits. They have definitely come a long way from the little girls in Minnesota. Do you think that they expected to be this famous when they signed up for that modeling contest during their time at the University of Minnesota?
A Charmed Life
Maybe it really is a fully-charmed kind of life for the triplets. The Dahms seemed to have gotten lucky in a great number of things. They were blessed with their good lucks and interesting turn of events. There was even a time when the girls said, “It’s something you never experience when you’re from a small town of 2,000 people, and all of a sudden you’re in a magazine all around the world.”
A Charmed Life
Erica said that perhaps the best part of everything they have gone through is that they managed to be there for each other during the big moments in life. They have helped each other get through all the milestone moments. Can you believe that they would not be in the same place if they decided to turn down the Playboy shoot?
Supposed Troubles In Paradise
Even though there have been a lot of blessings that befell them, it was only a matter of time before a bad rumor came out about them. This does not sound like a huge price to pay. After all, it is hard to keep your reputation safe when you lead a life under the spotlight.
Supposed Troubles In Paradise
There have been rumors of divorce surrounding the relationship between Jay and Erica. This is not all that unlike the rumors of divorce that surround his own parents, Dr. Phil and Robin McGraw. Even though this had been the case, facts do not seem to support the reports. They are still happily married a decade after they decided to tie the knot.
Their Golden Children
Although there are these ugly reports going around, there is one thing that Jay and Erica have that no rumor can destroy. The two of them have a lovely family, and nothing will change that. They have a beautiful daughter called Ava Elizabeth and an adorable son called London Phillip. You will see lots of pictures of the kids on their social media profiles. It is not rare to see Robin McGraw leave comments about how cute her grandkids are.
Their Golden Children
The siblings spend a lot of time with their cousins too. Contrary to what others say, there sure seems like there are plenty of things going right in the Dahm-McGraw household.
Their Future Plans
After the triplets decided to participate in the Playboy photo shoot, the Dahm triplets got the opportunity to appear on the small screen. Among others, they took part in various reality shows. They also appeared on the Canadian TV show Relic Hunter during the late ‘90s. Only eight years ago, they also launched a YouTube channel by the name of TripletsGourmet. It was meant to be a cooking channel, but there is only one video on the channel at the moment this was written.
Their Future Plans
We do not know what happened to their plans. It might be that parenthood took over their lives, which made them abandon the project. They also said that they are still open to do another shoot for Playboy should they ever receive another invitation. No matter what they plan to do in the future, we are sure about one thing. They might try to lay low, but the limelight will just find them again.