A sibling relationship is special—filled with friendship, rivalry, and love. Whether they are inseparable from the start or share a bond that grows over time, siblings have a unique connection. From shared memories to shared clothes, explore stories that capture the joys and trials of growing up together.
Do you have a cherished memory with your sibling that you want to preserve? We invite you to share your stories of siblinghood! Show your loved ones that their stories matter by connecting with them for a StoryCorps conversation, preserving their narratives for generations to come. You can record in person using the StoryCorps App, or remotely using StoryCorps Connect.
Then and Now
As kids, siblings Melissa Wilbur and Janaki Symon hated each other. At StoryCorps, the sisters get real about how they felt growing up and the turning point in their relationship.
“It’s important to look after people.” A Big Brother Reflects on What His Younger Brother Taught Him.
The Rigano siblings, Denise, Phil, Lola, Adele, and Robbie, lived in 1960s New Rochelle, New York. Robbie, who is developmentally disabled, had a fondness for cars and often found himself in unusual situations.
In 2006, Phil took Robbie to record a conversation at the StoryCorps Mobile Tour. They revisited this experience 17 years later.
Twin Mortician Brothers Look Back On A Life Of Caring For The Dead
At 69, twins Melvin and Marvin Morgan worked as mortuary technicians in NYC. They’ve worked through some of the city’s most horrific events – moments like 9/11 and the earliest days of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Just before Melvin’s retirement in 2023, they came to StoryCorps to look back on a life of caring for the dead.
After Half A Century Apart, These Siblings Forged an Unbreakable Bond
Misunderstandings about Leprosy, for centuries, led to the isolation of thousands of people, mostly Native Hawaiians, in Kalaupapa, Molokai. The disease’s transmission misconceptions disrupted many family ties. Doug Carillo and Linda Mae Lawelawe both share a connection to this history.
They came to StoryCorps to discuss how the disease and the policy of family separation shaped their lives.
A Sister Shares A Cherished Memory That Carried Her Through Childhood
During the 1980s, Amy McNally and Emily Fortner were raised by a single mom in rural Ohio. Whenever someone did come knocking on their door, it would be a hunter asking if they could track their deer onto their property.
In July of 2022, Amy came to StoryCorps to share one special childhood memory, and why it stood out to her.
Vietnam Separated Them, But These Brothers Stand Side By Side
Raised in a tight-knit family in 1950s Dearborn, Michigan, Ron Amen and his brother Alan were separated when Ron was drafted for the Vietnam War in 1965. Despite the distance, they maintained their close bond.
The brothers came to StoryCorps to reflect on their relationship, and to remember the effect war had on them — and their brotherhood.
A Good Man
Bryan Wilmoth and his seven younger siblings were raised in a strict, religious home.
At StoryCorps, Bryan talks with his brother Mike about what it was like to reconnect years after their dad kicked Bryan out for being gay.
‘A Package Deal’: Two Brothers Face Mortality Together
In a touching story, David Carles and his little brother, Mark Carles faced a major life change in 2018 when Mark was diagnosed with a rare liver cancer. A year after that diagnosis, the brothers sat down at StoryCorps in New York City to talk about the ways Mark’s illness had changed their lives.
Unfortunately, Mark died on February 24th, 2022, at the age of 27. David returned to StoryCorps just a few days after his death to remember him.
Divided By Immigration Status: Brothers Reflect On Their Bond
Growing up in Bakersfield, California, Randy Villegas and his older brother Angel lived under the same roof, but in separate realities: Randy was a U.S. citizen, but Angel was undocumented. Angel, a DACA recipient since 2012, still faces uncertainty with his residency status.
The two siblings came to StoryCorps in 2020, when they were in their twenties, to talk for the first time about the moment Angel realized he was undocumented, and how that affected their relationship.
Chicago Siblings Remember Brother Lost To COVID and the Love He Left Behind
Jorge and Jessica Valdivia admired their older brother, Mauricio, a vibrant individual who was the family’s rock. One memorable Christmas, Mauricio gifted Jorge his first Transformer. In April 2020, Mauricio, 52, died from COVID-19, leaving a significant void in his loved ones’ lives.
Jorge and Jessica came to StoryCorps to share their favorite memories of Mauricio and what he meant to them.
2 Sisters on Enjoying Life: “Instead of a Drama or a Novela, Make It a Sitcom”
Brenda Ulloa Martinez and her sister, Corina Ulloa, grew up in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles during the 1980s. Their parents, Irma and Arnulfo, worked in a factory and as a truck driver, respectively, before opening a bridal shop together. As their parents worked, the sisters often used public transport for school and came home to an empty house.
In 2010, they came to StoryCorps to share some of their hard-earned wisdom with the next generation: Brenda’s daughters, Camila Martinez and Isabela Martinez.
Two by Two
In the summer of 1946, Hunny Feller and her identical twin sister, Bunny, were waitresses at a hotel. Another set of identical twins, Elliot and Danny Reiken, worked as musicians in a band there. By the end of the summer, the two couples had become inseparable.
Watch Hunny and Elliot reflect on 61 years of marriage.
‘You Were Walking Rage’: Reclaiming A Broken Brotherhood
Growing up in a troubled home in Florida, the fights between Derrick Storms and his younger brother Raymond were legendary. They would end up taking completely different paths: Derrick joined the military right out of high school, and Raymond sang opera professionally and practiced reiki.
At StoryCorps in New York, they talked about how they reclaimed their brotherhood.
Adopted Woman Finds Siblings, Learns Family Secret
Growing up knowing that she was adopted, Lisa Bouler Daniels began searching for her birth family as an adult. By the time she found them, both her birth mother and her adoptive mother had passed away. But she did track down her biological brother: Benjamin Chambers.
At StoryCorps in 2018, she tells the story of how her adoption unearthed a family secret that had been kept quiet for decades.
An Online Search for a Father Turns Up a Sister
When Courtney McKinney was 16 years old, she learned that she’d been conceived through anonymous sperm donation. As an adult, Courtney discovered she had a half-sister: Alexandra Sanchez. Theirs is one of the many families that have expanded as a result of online DNA testing.
At StoryCorps, Courtney told Alex how she’d set out looking for her father, and about the moment she found a sister instead.
Want even more stories? Explore our archive for StoryCorps voices from across the United States and around the world!