A New York man spent more than 60 years with the wrong family after he was accidentally switched at birth with an identically-named baby. Reportedly, Kevin McMahon, 64, was switched at birth with Ross McMahon back in 1960. Now, Kevin is suing the Queens hospital that made the life-changing mistake.
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According to court documents obtained by PEOPLE, Kevin McMahon was switched with Ross McMahon after they were both born on May 26, 1960. Turns out that both babies were labeled "Baby McMahon," and they were actually born one hour and 45 minutes apart, as per Kevin's attorney, Jeremy Schiowitz.
The dramatic realization came after the woman Kevin knew as his sister, Carol Vignola, 66, submitted her DNA to Ancestry.com back in 2020. Vignola learned she had a biological brother, who they would come to find out was Ross McMahon. As per the New York Post, this confirmed Vignola's suspicions that Kevin was not her biological brother.
In 2021, Kevin submitted his own Ancestry.com DNA test. The test also confirmed that he had a biological brother whom he wasn't aware of, Keith. Eventually, all four, Kevin, Carol, Ross, and Keith, took DNA tests, which confirmed their relationship.
'I Don't Exist'
While talking with the Post, Kevin stated that he was shocked when he made the discovery. "For a long time, I'm like, I'm not really Kevin McMahon. I'm really Ross McMahon," Kevin said. "I thought to myself, 'I'm nobody... I don't exist.'" Furthermore, he revealed that the thought of not being biologically related to who he believed was his family always tormented him.
Sadly, this belief was also present in members of his family. Kevin elaborated that both his paternal grandmother and his father treated him badly growing up. Particularly, his grandmother had "physically abusive" interactions with Kevin, believing that his mother had cheated on his father, resulting in Kevin's birth. Kevin believed that his father "didn't care" for him at all.
After finding out about the switch, Kevin's tragic upbringing became even worse. Reportedly, Ross McMahon was dearly loved by his father, who was actually Kevin's biological father.
"My blood brother Keith tells me that my [biological] paternal father was Ross' biggest fan," Kevin told the Post. "He supported him, always had his back, was always there. I would have loved to have that."
Following the discovery, Kevin McMahon is now suing Jamaica Hospital Medical Center, seeking financial damages. He claims that he sustained "negligent infliction of emotional distress" and "severe mental distress and emotional shock." Moreover, Kevin claims that he has continued to suffer emotional pain, which translated into care and treatment expenses for his "severe emotional injuries."
Schiowitz, Kevin's attorney, called the switch a "preventable tragedy" while claiming that the hospital failed to "double check its procedures." Kevin, meanwhile, called Jamaica Hospital "cold and heartless," accusing them of not acknowledging the incident.
