Alvera Rita Revealed A Secret That Changed Everything Her Family Knew

Of course, plenty of us know what it’s like to hear secrets as a kid. Plenty of parents want to protect their children from the world and will often tell little white lies in a bid to keep them safe. So what happens when a family secret unravels everything you’ve ever known?

That was the case for Alvera Rita and her daughter, Gail Lukasik. For years, Gail assumed her mother’s quirks were just that. However, Alvera Rita finally revealed a secret that changed everything her family knew about her life.

Alvera Rita appeared to be just like everyone else in the neighborhood

Alvera Rita seemed to be just like so many other women in the neighborhood. The woman lived in Ohio, where she was beloved by many and had a host of friends. Welcoming her daughter, Gail Lukasik, even gave Alvera a chance to learn all about motherhood, with many thinking she took to it like a duck to water.

Things started to change for Alvera when she married her husband during World War II, with their romance alone leading to plenty of family stories. However, there were some tales of her past that Alvera would never share. Her secrecy and quirky behaviors were more than just that - Alvera was hiding something major from her loved ones.

Harold Kaline and Alvera Rita met and started dating during World War II

It didn’t take long for Alvera Rita and Harold Kalina to realize they were head over heels in love with one another. Before, Alvera had been working as a server in a tea shop when she decided to move away from her New Orleans home to Ohio in 1944 after falling for Harold. Apparently, his humor really won her over.

Harold was actually on service in the Pacific when he first met Alvera, with the pair quickly getting into a relationship. Many believed the new couple knew they would be together forever, and it wasn’t long before Harold wanted to make things official. However, he never had any idea that Alvera was keeping a huge secret about her past.

Starting a life together quickly saw Alvera and Harold welcome their own family

Even though they were in love, the pair were in the middle of World War II, with Harold Kalina playing a major part in keeping the US safe. Things were tumultuous, to say the least, with the pair having to wait to officially tie the knot. That moment finally came toward the end of the war in 1944.

Alvera and Harold were officially wed, with the pair moving to a working-class neighborhood in Palma, Ohio, later the same year. Here, they bought a house and quickly settled into life as a married couple. It turned out even more good news was on the way, as Alvera and Harold welcomed their first daughter, Gail, in 1946.

Everything throughout Gail’s childhood seemed to be just like everyone else’s

Like plenty of other families, there was never anything that made Alvera, Harold, or Gail stand out from the crowd. In fact, Gail later confessed she had a pretty normal childhood with plenty of friends and never thought too much about her family’s history - or the dark secrets her parents could be hiding from the world.

Gail recalled how her parents appeared to love each other and often showered her with love and affection throughout her childhood. Apparently, Alvera and Harold loved to spend time together and do things as a family. However, there was something strange. Gail remembers her mom having a handful of quirks as she was growing up.

Alvera Rita refused to tell Gail why she had some strange habits

One thing many knew about Alvera Rita was that she was an incredibly glamorous woman who was always known to look her best at all times. To start, Gail thought this was normal for moms to go to a lot of effort to look their best. However, as she grew older, Gail began to ask Alvera questions about her habits.

Sadly, Gail would have to wait a long time to get any answers. According to her, every time she asked her mother about why she behaved certain ways and did certain things, Alvera would merely shrug her off or change the subject. No matter how many times Gail asked, Alvera was never willing to spill her secrets.

Gail wondered why her mother would always wear makeup to bed

Being such a glamorous woman meant Alvera Rita wouldn’t be seen anywhere without a face full of makeup. In fact, she would even go to bed with her makeup and would wake up early in the morning to fix her face before Harold or her children woke up. Gail eventually realized just how strange that was, but Alvera wasn’t budging.

Instead, Alvera stated it was all because she wanted to look her best at all times. She even told Gail she wanted to ensure she always “[looked] her best” just in case she got sick in the middle of the night and needed an ambulance, claiming “you would get treated better at the hospital.” This was just the start.

Alvera Rita appeared to be terrified of being in the sun

Nowadays, plenty of people know about the dangers of spending too much time in the sun. While we need a certain amount of vitamin D to remain healthy, too much sun exposure can greatly increase the risks of developing things like skin cancer. However, Alvera Rita seemed to have an unhealthy fear of the sun.

Gail later recalled how her mother would always wear a hat and plenty of sunscreen if she couldn't find a way to avoid the sun. Apparently, Alvera also wouldn't go anywhere without gloves - regardless of whether it was cold or not. According to Alvera, it was all to protect the back of her hands from getting sunburnt.

People in the neighborhood started to notice Alvera Rita’s unusual behavior

Growing up, Gail never thought anything was weird about her mother’s habits. However, others in the neighborhood began to notice that things seemed to be a little odd. For one, Alberta Rita was obsessed with keeping her home clean. She lived in a time when many women lived as housewives and stay-at-home parents, but Alvera’s cleaning was beyond everyone else’s.

To make matters even stranger, Alvera was known to make a dramatic entrance with her family every Sunday at church. It’s said Alvera and her family would always take the first pew in the church and would always ensure there were people there to see them arrive. In fact, people in the neighborhood called them “the first family.”

Alvera Rita never wanted to talk about what happened to her parents

Plenty of people want to know all about their family’s history, with many children taking an interest in their family tree as they get older. After all, so many people have parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Why did Gail know so little about her mother’s side of the family, including Alvera’s mom and dad?

Gail would often ask questions about her maternal grandparents, including what happened to them, what they were like, and if she would ever be able to meet her grandfather Azemar Frederic. However, Alvera always ignored her daughter’s requests. Instead, she would make up short answers and go about her day without giving too much away.

Talking about her father always led to Alvera Rita offering the same answers

Somehow, Gail did manage to learn her grandfather’s name, but that’s where the facts started to run out. She asked and pleaded, but Alvera Rita was determined the pair would never meet. Still, that didn’t stop Gail from constantly asking about Azemar Frederic and where he could have been her entire life, even as Gail grew older.

She knew Azemar must have passed away at one point, with Gail asking her mom if she knew where her grandfather was born or where he might be buried. Yet again, Alvera didn’t want to answer. Alvera would often claim that she didn’t remember much about her father and just wanted to change the subject to something else.

Gail suddenly realized things were even stranger when looking for photos of her grandfather

Rather than let things go, Gail wanted to get to the bottom of why she wasn’t allowed to know anything about her grandfather. Like plenty of other families, Alvera Rita had boxes full of old family photographs, but that’s where things began to get even weirder. Gail started searching through the pictures for any clues.

However, she noticed there were no photos of Azemar Frederic. After decades of looking, many wondered why Gail didn’t just give up on her search and accept she would never know the truth. That wasn’t in Gail’s nature. Instead, she decided she would have to do her own research if she ever stood a chance of learning the truth.

Gail decided to give searching for her grandfather one final go

For most of her life, Gail had to sit on her hands and just hope that Alvera Rita would one day tell her everything she ever wanted to know about her family and grandparents. However, that moment never came. By the time Gail was 48 years old, she decided enough was enough and gave the search one more go.

Gail began looking again in 1995. Thankfully, things had come a long way since her childhood, and Gail now had access to a host more archives than she did as a child. She began looking through old microfilm, but she couldn’t find her grandfather anywhere. Just when she was about to give up, Gail noticed something unusual.

One name in the records suddenly stood out to Gail Lukasik

Scrolling through pages and pages of documents, records, photos, and everything else she could find had left Gial exhausted, and she was just about to give up when she spotted something unusual on a document. For the first time, she saw someone with her grandfather’s name: Azemar Frederic. It seemed too good to be just a coincidence.

Gail started looking at where the name had come from and soon learned she was looking at Louisiana Census records from 1900, but that wasn’t all. There were a host of other Frederics on the list, with Gail suddenly thinking she could be looking at part of her family tree. However, there was something strange about the records.

A strange letter next to Azemar Frederic’s name left Gail with more questions

Gail almost felt as though something major was about to happen, especially as she had some record of someone, at the very least, with the same name as her grandfather. If she could find out more about this man, Gail might be able to discover if there was a link between him and her family - and what happened.

However, there was a problem. After looking at all of the people on the list, Gail realized Azemar Frederic had the letter “B” next to his name. At first, it could have been a spelling mistake. Still, the more Gail looked, the more she realized it was there deliberately. Now there was a new problem: what did the “B” mean?

The letter seemed to indicate this might not be Gail’s grandfather after all

It looked as though Gail was getting one step closer to learning about her family’s past, only to take a few steps back again. However, she did know one thing: the letter “B” was probably linked to why her mother, Alvera Rita, had been so secretive all these years. All Gail needed to do was find out what it meant.

Gail started to look closer at the list and realized Azemar Frederic was the only one with a “B” next to his name. Looking closer at the top of the list, Gail learned it was to indicate someone’s race. While that might have offered some answers, it didn’t make sense when it came to what Gail knew about her family.

Learning the truth behind the letter “B” only led Gail further down the rabbit hole

The more Gail racked her brain, the more she started to realize that someone with a “B” next to their name must stand for “Black,” meaning that this Azemar Frederic was someone of color. To start, Gail wanted to confront her mother to see if she was missing something. However, she knew Alvera Rita was likely to remain silent.

After all, Gail had spent years asking questions and had never got more than her grandfather’s name. Asking about why this Azemar was listed as “Black” would likely get her nowhere. Gail decided to wait a little longer as she reached out to the State of Louisiana to see if she could get a copy of Alvera’s birth certificate.

Gail had to come up with a plan to get a copy of her mother’s records

Just because she knew the state had a copy of Alvera Rita’s birth certificate didn’t mean Gail would be able to get her hands on it. After all, her mother was still alive, meaning she was the only one who was allowed to request a copy of the document. This was just a small problem for Gail.

Although it was wrong, Gail decided the only way she would get some answers was to call the offices at the State of Louisiana and pretend to be Alvera. She had to fill out an official request to get a copy of the birth certificate, with Gail claiming it was lost. It wasn’t long before the documents arrived.

Alvera Rita’s birth certificate left Gail with even more questions than ever before

Of course, finally having the answers in her hands was a huge moment for Gail, but that didn’t mean she could instantly rip it open and see what was inside. Gail took a deep breath and recentered herself before taking a look at Alvera Rita’s birth certificate to see if there were any more clues.

Now, Gail just had more questions. There was one part of the document that stood out more than anything else, as part of the birth certificate was labeled “Col.” yet again, Gail was left trying to figure out the meaning behind these letters, leaving her with little choice but to write to the office yet again to get more answers.

The state was quick to offer a reason for the unusual letters

Nowadays, birth certificates are pretty straightforward, with little indication of hidden family secrets. However, Gail was staring at something she could decode and needed help. Gail wondered if the letters “Col” had any significant meaning and if they would lead her closer to finding out her family’s past. Thankfully, she didn’t have to wait long for answers.

Gail wrote to the State of Louisiana asking for clarification about the letters, and it wasn’t long before the state had answers. It turned out they were a type of old code that was once used for people born before a specific date. However, as Gail read the response she received, she knew that she had to talk to Alvera.

The letter left Gail wondering what she had to do next

The State of Louisiana didn't offer a lengthy reply, but they did give Gail even more to think about than before. In the letter, they explained that "Col" was once used as a shortening of "Colored," and it was a way to determine someone's race on their birth certificate. There was just one problem: Alvera Rita was white.

Now, Gail wasn't even sure if her mother knew about the code on her birth certificate and thought it could be some kind of mistake. However, there was another problem. To tell her mother about the code "Col," Gail would have to admit everything she had done to get a copy of Alvera's birth certificate.

Gail ultimately waited for two years before asking her mom about the discovery

Getting to this point was a huge moment for Gail and one that had taken her entire life to achieve. However, she couldn’t just approach her mom and demand answers. Instead, she decided to wait before talking to Alvera Rita. In fact, Gail sat on this information for two years before coming clean to her mom.

Gail had so many more questions. Did Gale know about the code on her birth certificate? If she did, why had she kept it a secret this entire time? What about Azemar Frederic’s letter “B,” and what this could mean? After so many years of waiting for answers, Gail decided it was finally time to get the truth.

Gail Lukasik finally confronted her mom two years after losing her father

Gail had waited long enough and decided it was time to get answers from Alvera Rita. However, there was another reason she had waited until 1997 to confront her mom. Her dad, Harold, had passed away two years earlier, around the time Gail finally learned the truth about her heritage, only adding to the family’s upset.

Thankfully, enough time had passed for Gail to learn the truth. Gail decided to visit her mother one afternoon and asked her all about what she had found, including her grandfather’s listing as “Black” and her mother’s listing of “Colored.” There was no way Alvera could talk her way out of this. She had to offer Gail some answers.

Alvera Rita had her own story about what happened to the birth certificate

Of course, she had to play things cool if Gail was going to get answers after so many years. She told Alvera Rita that she had found her birth certificate and was confused about part of it, the part listed as “Col.” Although it seemed Gail had everything she needed to get the truth, Alvera had other ideas.

Alvera immediately began questioning how she could be listed as “Colored” on the documents. She stated Gail must have the wrong birth certificate, as the one she had listed her as “White.” to top it off, Alvera once again started to brush off her daughter, but Gail wasn’t buying it. She’d had enough of the secrets.

Offering all the facts left Alvera Rita no choice but to be honest

Just when Alvera Rita probably thought she had gotten out of giving her daughter any answers, Gail had more news to share. She told her mother all about her research and just how much she knew about her family’s history. While she might not have had all the answers, Gail was playing her cards close to her chest.

Gail explained to Alvera that she had other documents, including the ones that listed Azemar Frederic as “Black.” Gail continued as she asked her mother not to lie about the letters on her birth certificate, telling Alverta she had spoken to the state and had an official answer. Only then did Alvera finally start to open up.

Alvera Rita had an unusual request to make to her daughter

Alvera Rita knew she had to be honest with her daughter, but it wasn’t easy. After all, she’d been carrying around a huge secret with her for most of her life, and this was the first time in decades she was going to be honest. Gail sat down with Alvera and listened closely as her mom’s eyes filled with tears.

Still, there was a catch. Alvera wanted Gail to promise that she would “never tell anyone” until after Alvera passed away. She worried about what her friends would think and how she could “hold my head up” if people knew the truth about her past. Gail was stunned and confused, but she agreed to her mother’s request.

Learning the truth about her mother meant things finally fell into place for Gail

Alvera Rita started to explain there was a reason she had always acted so strangely while Gail was growing up. It turned out all the documents were correct; Alvera had been pretending to be white her entire life. At last, everything started to make sense. After all, Gail never saw her mother without a full face of makeup.

Plus, Alvera had always been so worried about going in the sun and always wore gloves and a hat if she had to be outside. While things started to fall into place, Gail couldn’t understand why her mother had kept this a secret. After all, Gail knew there was nothing wrong about being another race. Why did Alvera lie?

Alvera Rita explained she only started living as a white woman when she met Harold

Gail started to rack her brains about everything that ever happened in her life and even looked at some of the family’s old photographs. In none of them did Alvera Rita look as though she was another race, but it turned out that was always because her mother opted for a foundation that was several shades lighter than her skin.

Still, there was no denying the truth. The birth certificate and her grandfather’s documents listed both of them as colored. Alvera continued to explain what led her to live her life as a white woman, but things hadn’t always been that way. Instead, it was only when Alvera met Harold that she made the change.

The revelations left Gail wondering if there were even more family secrets

Of course, growing up with both of her parents meant Gail was there throughout most of their lives. That’s when things started to get even stranger. As Harold had lost his life two years before and Alvera Rita was only now being truthful about her heritage, he passed away thinking Alvera was a white woman.

Alvera and Harold were always praised for the fact they seemed so in love and even moved across the nation to start a new life together. However, it was that moment in time that saw Alvera go from living as a woman of color to a white woman. Gail suddenly realized she had no idea who she was anymore.

Starting a life with Harold meant Alvera Rita had to make some huge decisions

Finally opening up about the truth meant Alvera Riverta no longer had anything to hide. Instead, it was time to tell her daughter the secrets she had kept hidden for so many years. However, nothing prepared Gail for what was coming next as Alvera continued to open up about both of her parents, including her mother.

Gail now knew Azemar Frederic was, indeed, a person of color. However, Alvera continued to add that her mother, Celeste Girard Frederic, was also mixed-race. The problem Alvera faced was that if she wanted to start a life with Harold and keep up her lies, she had to cut all ties with her family and move away.

Alvera Rita admitted all she knew about her parents’ brief romance

It turned out things hadn’t been entirely smooth for Alvera Rita throughout her childhood. Gail had grown up in a family that always had both parents who were known to shower each other with love and affection, as well as their children. Alvera’s parents couldn’t have been further from Gail’s reality after welcoming her to the world.

Azemar was thought to have initially been from France, while Camille was of Scottish and English heritage. Together, they welcomed Alvera to the world, but their romance wasn’t to last. Instead, the couple ultimately split after a short time together, with both Azemar and Camille remarrying and starting new families. Of course, this wasn’t always easy for Alvera.

Alvera Rita confessed there was more to Harold than Gail ever knew

Just because she finally knew the truth didn’t mean Gail understood everything her mother was telling her. After all, she couldn’t wrap her head around why Alvera Rita would lie for all these years and hide her true ethnicity. Was Harold to blame for it all? Did Alvera have to change herself because Gail’s father said so?

Alvera continued to explain Harold never knew about her secret and that he was a white man who was just like many other white men of the time. Gail knew what that meant, but she never had any idea that her father was known to be offensive toward people of other ethnicities. Apparently, there was more to it than that.

Gail kept her promise and never told anyone about what she now knew

Alvera Rita continued to talk about times she knew she could never tell her husband, Harold, the truth. Apparently, whenever Harold was watching the TV, he would often use offensive slurs and language when people of color were involved. As she had been hiding her identity their entire marriage, Alvera merely had to listen and remain silent.

Even though things had changed since she was younger, Alvera didn’t want the world to learn her truth while she was still alive. She begged Gail not to tell anyone while Alvera was alive, even her own brother, as she was worried about what people would say. Amazingly, Gail was true to her word, not saying anything for 17 years.

Gail couldn’t help but wonder how different her life could have been

After so many years of mystery, Gail could finally start to rebuild her life. At first, she worried about other secrets her mom could have kept hidden all these years, but Gail soon learned this was the one Alvera Rita had initially planned to take to the grave. However, Gail couldn’t help but worry about what her mother had suffered.

Gail learned the reason Alvera had kept her ethnicity a secret was to try and make a “better life for herself” to get “more opportunities for employment and in society in general.” It might have offered answers, but Gail couldn’t help but think how different things would have been if Alvera had never lived as a white woman.

Alvera Rita might have felt as though she needed to "pick a side"

Gail Lukasik has continued to be open about her journey now that she has learned the truth about Alvera Rita and the fact she can finally talk about her family's secrets. When speaking to The Washington Post, Gail admitted that her mom constantly had to live with a feeling of "two-ness" as someone of mixed race.

After all, Alvera was of European and African heritage, with it being a problem so many still face today. Not being fully colored meant Alvera could pass as a white woman, with some believing Alvera - and many others in her situation - are forced to "pick a side." Do they lean into their colored heritage or their white heritage?

Gail Lukasik has spoken openly about stories she’s heard from her mother

Even long before Gail Lukasik learned the truth about her mother’s heritage, she was always taught to respect people of every ethnicity. Apparently, Alvera Rita would often talk about kindness to her children, despite Harold’s apparent offensive language toward people of another race. In fact, Alvera often told stories about her past throughout Gail’s childhood.

Gail spoke about her mother living in New Orleans and the offensive behavior she saw. One of those moments came when a woman of color was supposedly walking along the sidewalk carrying lots of packages. When she didn’t move out of the way for a white man, the woman was allegedly shoved out of the way and called a slur.

Losing her mother meant Gail could finally learn all about her family’s history

Alvera Rita admitted to her daughter she knew it “wasn’t right,” but it was “how it was in New Orleans back then.” Now Gail knows the truth, she says she can see the hints and lessons her mother was trying to tell. In fact, Gail told The Washington Post she wonders if her mother was preparing her for the truth.

After Alvera passed away in 2014, Gail felt she was “freed of my vow” and could finally tell the world. Eventually, Gail learned about the reality show ‘Genealogy Roadshow’ which sees a host of genealogists travel the US and work with various families. She thought it was the perfect way to tell Alvera’s story in January 2015.

Appearing on the show finally introduced Gail Lukasik to her long-lost family

Just three days after her episode hit the air, Gail Lukasik was finally contacted by her mother’s family. Of course, there was every chance that they wouldn’t want to know Gail and her extended family after Alvera Rita had spent so long pretending they didn’t exist. Thankfully, that couldn’t have been further from the case for Gail.

She admitted to The Washington Post that they welcomed her with “generosity and love” and that they “neither [judged] my mother” or “[rejected] me.” Gail traveled to New Orleans, where a family party introduced her to her two aunts, an uncle, and a host of cousins, all with “every shade of skin from darkest ebony to whitest white.”

Learning about her family history opened Gail’s eyes to offensive laws

Learning about her mother’s past and ethnicity was just the beginning for Gail. After all, there was no denying that she was part of a multiracial family, and she couldn’t wait to track down as many people as she could from her extended family. However, there was a new issue. Gail wanted to know about their history.

She managed to trace the Frederics back to 18th century Louisiana where Gail learned about enslaved women, slave owners, and people of color who had their freedom. Looking through the family tree, Gail realized how much shifting laws around race affected her family, often putting them in boxes. All of this eventually inspired Gail’s book, ‘White Like Her.’

The truth of it all leaves Gail wondering how many people are in similar situations

Gail Lukasik couldn’t believe how everything fell into place when she learned about Alvera Rita’s true heritage. However, it also made her wonder how many other people in the United States have no idea about their heritage - and how they, too, could be living as white people when they are really from a multiracial family.

After taking a DNA test, Gail learned she is 9% African. Still, she says she checks the box “White” when having to fill out forms that ask about her ethnicity. Gail believes that at this point in her life, “it would be disingenuous of me to claim any other identity.” According to Gail, she’s “enjoyed white privilege my entire life.”

There are certain things Gail Lukasik will never truly understand

If there is one thing that will stay with Gail Lukasik for the rest of her life, it’s the “haunted look” she had when Alvera Rita began to think about what people would think if they learned the truth. Gail admitted to The Washington Post that she never felt anger toward her mother for not telling her the truth.

However, Gail says she only feels “sorry,” especially as Alvera “was unable to share with me her feelings about who she really was” after Gail learned the truth. Although it has been a lot to take on, and there is still a lot to think about, Gail now feels “solace and pride” whenever she thinks about her new family.