Swapped as babies

Men lived each other’s lives for 69 years

Two Canadians were swapped as babies and led each other's lives for more than 60 decades.

(Bild: APA/dpa-Zentralbild/Waltraud Grubitzsch)

Richard Beauvais led a life for 69 years that was intended for Edward Ambrose. They are demanding compensation.

They were switched at birth in Manitoba, Canada, in 1955. But Richard Beauvais and Eddy Ambrose only found out 66 years later.

DNA test yields surprising result
In 2021, Beauvais' daughter wanted to find out more about her indigenous origins, as her father had described himself as half French and half Métis (the indigenous ethnic group in Canada) all his life. She gave him a DNA test. The result was astonishing. According to the lab, there was no evidence of either indigenous or French roots, but rather Ukrainian, Jewish and Polish ancestry.

Eddy Ambrose had also taken a DNA test. To his astonishment, he was from Canada - a Métis.

Compensation demanded
Beauvais and Ambrose contacted each other via the DNA test provider's website. They are now demanding compensation from the organizations responsible at the time. There are also fears that other mix-ups may have occurred.