Dan: Previously on "Relative Race"... Michael: Where y'all been?

Dan: Head-to-head challenges took the competition to another level.

My name's Chelsea.

I'm your half sister.

Dan: Rebecca found a sister she had been searching a lifetime for.

A shocking discovery for Michael Anderson.

That's my mother.

And another first-place victory earned Team Black immunity.

Team Black is off the table tomorrow.

Narrator (Male): DNA tells us who we are and where we came from.

Following their own DNA, four teams are racing... Come on!

Hurry, hurry, hurry!

Narrator: to win $50,000... Whoo!

Narrator: and to find their family.

♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh!

♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh!

♪ ♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh!

♪ ♪ Dan: Eight days ago, four teams set out from Washington, D.C., some hoping to grow their family tree.

[all talking] That's our great-grandmother!

We grew up with her!

Dan: Others searching for answers.

Troy: He's literally bringing my dad to me right now.

I've learned more about him in this past ten minutes than I ever knew.

Dan: Last night, Rebecca from Team Black was reunited with her sister Chelsea.

Rebecca: I started this journey to learn more about both my moms that I've lost and with meeting Chelsea, I've gained more than I could ever hope for.

Dan: With the benefit of immunity in hand... We're going to make sure we go to Day 10, so we're taking that immunity.

Dan: Team Black is safe from their second strike.

Today, three teams carry two strikes each, Team Red, Team Green, and Team Blue, which means one of these teams will be going home tonight.

♪ Rebecca: My sister Chelsea and I share the same father and last night we went to the cemetery to visit the grave of her biological mother, Susan, who was killed by our father when we were young, and this morning we get to go back to the same cemetery and visit my biological mother, Karen Richards.

Her ashes are in the same place.

It's good to come back, huh?

It is.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Oh.

Chelsea: To share that moment with Rebecca was something I'll always cherish.

Hi, Mom.

It's just another piece of our history that Chelsea's mom, Susan, and my mom, Karen, are buried in the same cemetery It's almost like everything leads us back together.

There was no reason for us to ever part.

I don't know how we never found her before.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Thank you.

Yeah.

My mom is more real to me than she ever was.

Physically, I got to be near her today, and over the last seven days emotionally and with stories and memories, I've been able to grow closer to her and learn more about who she was, but being next to her today was something different.

It kind of completes what we've been learning over the last few days.

It's been a beautiful journey so far.

These are for you, Mom.

♪ [music intensifies] ♪ [phone dings] Jamie: Oh, wait.

We just got a text.

All right, here's the ding, here we go.

"Good morning teams, and welcome to Day 8"-- That's so weird-- "of Relative Race.

"Team Red will be traveling to Fresno, California.

Team Black will be traveling to Carmel, California."

Woo-hoo.

"Statesville, North Carolina.

"And Team Green will be traveling "to Fayetteville, North Carolina.

Michael: "Today's first-place winner will receive "a 60-second phone call-- "or Day 10 benefit.

"Your time-- starts now."

We're getting it.

Off we go.

Thank you guys so much!

Okay, let's go.

Since Team Black has immunity, we have to be one of the top two today.

Troy: So we just have to beat out Blue or Green.

Michael: We gotta go.

I'm driving.

I love we're going to Statesville because that means he gets to drive some because he knows the area more.

You sure about this?

Come on, it's Statesville.

Dylan: Okay.

Thank you guys!

We'll see you guys later!

Bye!

Let's go.

All right.

[laughs] Johnathon: The time doesn't matter today.

We're just here to be together and enjoy this trip, this journey.

Rebecca: Love you!

Love you too!

Rebecca: Bye.

♪ [dramatic music] ♪ It's Day 8 of "Relative Race."

All of our teams continue to race along different paths across the United States, each team looking for a new relative, each in a different location.

All of the teams have their eyes set on the finish line, this season in an undisclosed location.

At the start of the race eight days ago in Washington, D.C., all of our teams surrendered their smartphones and all use of technology in exchange for paper maps and flip phones.

No GPS or Internet access.

Now they're headed to a new city.

They must take a selfie to prove that they've made it, successfully complete a set of challenges, and discover their new relatives, each within a different allotted time.

The team that goes over their allotted time the most will receive a strike.

Three strikes and you're out of the race.

Welcome.

This is Day 8 of "Relative Race."

♪ On the East Coast, Team Blue is feeling confident as they travel near their hometown, Concord, North Carolina.

Have you relaxed now that you're not in the driver's seat?

Dylan: Oh yeah, no, I'm great.

This is like a vacation for me.

I'm so happy.

Dan: Today, the father and son team is headed to Statesville, North Carolina.

With challenges factored in, they have the shortest allotted time of the day at one hour and 45 minutes.

Sit back and relax until we get to Statesville.

Yeah.

I got this.

Dylan: Okay.

Dan: Also traveling to North Carolina is Team Green, Jamie and Morgan.

Fayetteville.

That's so interesting that we got family in Fayetteville.

Dan: The sisters will navigate to Fayetteville, North Carolina.

They have the longest allotted time of the day at four hours and 36 minutes.

♪ Over on the California coast, we find teams Red and Black.

Nicole: Fresno, we're comin' for you.

Coming for you, Fresno.

Dan: Team Red, Troy and Nicole, will travel to Fresno, California.

Their total allotted time today is three hours and 27 minutes.

I just want to get there so we can hang out for a little bit and then-- but still have enough time to get over and see our relative because I want to spend time with them.

Dan: With immunity in hand, Team Black is safe from elimination tonight and is taking the day off.

Rebecca: We're taking a beach day.

We're going to get some lunch and we're going to take our time because Day 10's coming and a relaxing day might just be what we need.

Dan: Today, John and Rebecca make their way to Carmel, California.

Their allotted time is three hours and 16 minutes, with no pressure whatsoever.

♪ Michael: Mooresville, next four exits.

Welcome to Mooresville, North Carolina.

Yay.

Mooresville.

Michael: It was interesting coming up to Statesville this morning because we have to go through Mooresville to get to Statesville.

Been learning a lot about my mother's side the last couple of days, your grandmother's side.

Now, everything that I've learned so far about my mother's side, it all- The center of it all starts and ends in Mooresville, so that is definitely weird to drive through there today and be that close.

Hmm.

So close to where I live.

My entire life.

It definitely has a different meaning than it ever has been before driving through Mooresville, I can tell you that.

♪ [phone buttons beeping] What?

It's entertaining to watch you try to text.

Why?

Well, I have to think about it.

Jeez.

[phone dings] Ooh, we got a new text.

Jamie: Rebecca actually texted us and told us that they were going to take it easy today, so, you know, I think that-- If that's what they choose to do, then fine, but we don't take it easy on this race.

This is not somewhere where we're here to chill out.

Nicole: I'm sure Black will still place first.

They can go as slow as they want, they just can't get a strike, but it doesn't save anybody else from getting a strike.

So if they come in last, then I guess whoever's in third goes home.

Johnathon: I think the other three teams knowing that each one of them individually has two strikes-- Someone's going home.

Somebody's going home today regardless.

Now obviously, that's a concern for us, because we're one of those teams, but we can't stay focused on what other people are doing.

We gotta worry about what we're doing.

You know, the best feeling in the world is to make to Day 10 and beat Team Black.

That'd be the greatest.

Period.

I would lick the tears off of their faces.

Oh, dude.

Just the taste, the salty sweetness of their defeat would be beautiful.

Team Blue.

Dan: As teams arrive in their city limits... ♪ Jamie: That says Fayetteville City Limits.

Morgan: But where are we going to park?

Dan: The hunt begins for a city sign.

Michael: All right, that's it right there.

That's it right there.

We're going to pull into this parking lot over here.

Dan: And Team Black prepares for a day at the beach.

Rebecca: Whoa, look, there it is!

[laughs] Fresno County Credit Union.

Get your phone ready.

♪ [dramatic music] ♪ Dan: Day 8 of "Relative Race" continues.

Nicole: Fresno County Credit Union.

Get your phone ready.

All right, that's it right there.

Dan: Knowing that elimination is on the line for one of them, Teams Green, Red, and Blue quickly locate a city sign and advance on to their first challenge.

Let's go.

Dan: But Team Black is missing in action.

Rebecca: Whoa, look, there it is!

[laughs] The beach.

We're taking a beach day.

[jazzy music] Oh, this is so much better than racing.

Johnathon: So here we are hanging out at the beach.

Our clock is running, but we're having a great time and we really don't care.

Rebecca: Because it doesn't matter, immunity!

[jazzy music] Dan: As Team Black is taking advantage of their immunity, our other teams are racing to their first challenge of the day.

Michael: 2012, uh... Twenty-- I don't see any numbers.

I don't know what the speed limit is, so... Whoa!

Jamie: Where are we going?

Troy: Hey, there's a park.

This does not look like a fun park at all.

Michael: And there's a blue table.

Morgan: We're arriving.

Jamie: Okay, we made it.

Troy: Let's go, let's go, let's go.

♪ Okay!

"Take a Hike"?

Ah!

Dan: Today's first challenge will be the same for all teams and is called "Take a Hike."

Teams are faced with six targets.

Each teammate must successfully kick, hike, and throw a football until they hit three targets each.

"Your allotted time for the day-- includes 15 minutes to complete this challenge."

Let's do it.

You're kicking first.

Dylan: Yup.

Nicole: First challenge we had to-- Troy: Kick the first target, hike to the second target, and throw to the third target.

Too far, too hard.

Dial it down.

[groans] Sorry.

It's all right.

It's okay.

You gotta get your range in.

You can kick way harder.

I've never kicked a football in my life.

I know, me either.

Okay.

Aah!

Jamie: I hadn't touched a football since the late '90s.

I can't remember the last time I touched a football.

So we were still continuing with our mindset that we were going to complete the challenge, we're not going to quit.

Oh.

Sorry, Cody.

Sorry.

Here, hold it.

That was just a practice.

That was a practice, that was a practice.

Get it!

Oh my gosh!

Oh my gosh.

I hit the sign twice before I got it to finally knock over.

She kicked the bottom-- nicked the bottom corner.

Oh!

Fall!

Fall!

And it fell.

Let's go, baby!

She actually hit more targets quicker than I did.

Yeah!

Oh my gosh!

Jamie: Oh, gosh!

Cody, I'm so sorry, bro.

Oh my gosh!

Come on.

Michael: There you go!

Dylan: There we go!

Dylan did great on the kicking.

I messed up.

I was the one that held us up there, but he did good on the kicking.

Awesome job, son!

You beat your daddy!

It's hot, I'm tired.

I wanna go.

Some people call it exercise.

♪ This is it.

This is the one right here.

Here we go.

Yes!

Go, go hike.

Go get it, go get it, go get it.

Dylan: Ah.

It's all right.

That wasn't that bad.

Dylan: Ah!

That was!

Oh, oh, I hit your hand!

It's fine.

[jazzy music resumes] Hey look, this is cute!

What is this?

Carmel Bell?

Let's go in here.

Yeah.

Yes, babe!

Troy: Come on, baby, come on!

[Dylan grunts] There you go.

[both panting] High, baby, high.

There you go.

Little higher, come on.

Rebecca: There's so many choices.

I don't know what I want yet.

What are you going to get?

I'm getting chicken and wild rice.

There you go.

Michael: All right, son, it's on you.

Dylan: Yeah!

Troy: Throw it up there!

Nice, babe!

Michael: Get mad and throw the ball at it.

I'm not mad.

That just surprised me.

Michael: Throw the ball at me!

At me!

This is what immunity buys you, though.

Mmm.

Nice beach day.

Lunch.

Good lunch.

Perfect weather.

No, put it there.

Okay, I'm sorry!

I'm sorry.

Is that right?

Oh, you're so close.

At me!

I'm not seven foot tall!

[grunts] Yeah!

Yes.

We got in sync at the right time.

She hit her last target and then I hit my last target.

YEAH!

WHOO!

This is the life.

Mm-hmm.

"Your relative has quite the green thumb.

"Make your way to the Amity Field Garden Center to see how green your thumbs are."

"Your relative teaches music.

Head to Fresno Music and Arts Academy."

Let's go, babe, let's go!

Dan: While teams Red and Blue are off to their second challenge, Team Green is still struggling with challenge number one.

Oh.

[Jamie laughs] Oh my gosh!

AH!

Oh my gosh!

It was a struggle to find a strategy, but we just kept thinking maybe if we kick the ball in the middle...

Still not good at it.

Light as a feather?

That worked.

Hey-- Jamie: I knew that in that short amount of time, I knew that I wasn't going to be a good football player, so I just decided we're just going to complete the task-- Morgan: And just keep doing it over and over.

That is all we can do, and eventually we did what we had to do.

Come on, you got this.

Whoo!

No, not that one.

It's okay.

[groans in frustration] Next try.

Dan: As Team Green continues to fumble with their first challenge, Teams Blue and Red are on to their second challenge, which correlates to their relative's interest.

Gentlemen, welcome to Amity Hill Garden Center.

Your relative loves their plants.

You must match ten plant species to their names.

All the plants can be found around the garden center.

Your allotted time for the day includes 34 minutes to complete this challenge.

Good luck.

Thank you.

Thanks.

Michael: Our challenge is to match the leaves on the board with the plants hidden somewhere inside the nursery.

Oh, no, no, stop, son.

We need to look at this thing.

I know the top three.

All right, top three.

Don't look about those, these three.

I don't remember the third one.

Let's do it.

I'll remember the third one.

Dylan and I don't have green thumbs, by any means, but if you really break it down, this challenge is just a simple mix-and-match game.

Yeah, so we just gotta look at it like that.

It's probably over there.

Um...

Does that look like number something?

Okay.

I think that's the bottom.

Come on, where's Christmas?

But man, they all look the same.

That one's Christmas.

All right.

[violin music] Uh-oh.

This can't be good.

"Your relative is an accomplished flutist.

"One of you will play a song on the recorder "and the other must name the tune.

"Answer three correctly to move on.

"Your allotted time for the day includes 20 minutes to complete this challenge."

Oh, boy.

Ooh.

Neither one of us are musically inclined, so.

No.

[squeal] No, wow.

[laughs] We got this.

[squeals] What happened?

What did I do?

♪ ♪ Got this, whoo!

Hey!

Good job!

Jamie: Well, we finally complete our challenge and then we get a card that says, "Your relative is a painter," and we were like, "Something we can do!"

"YES!"

We know art!

So we were super excited.

[quick guitar music] Go.

Okay.

Uh, let's see.

"Correctly answer ten art history questions.

"Your allotted time for the day includes 10 minutes to complete this challenge."

All right, here we go.

Morgan: At first I'm like, am I going to have to be able to identify you know, who the artist is, you know, what year it was painted, um, what movement it was a part of, and then we see the cards and we have multiple choice-- And we're like-- And I was like "Game on!"

I got this.

Jamie: First question is... Um, that would be post-- Post-impressionism, I think.

A.

[ding] Lucky guess.

Morgan: Oh, yeah, duh.

I want to say Realism because I believe he painted this in real time.

A, realism?

[buzzer] Nope.

It's not.

Okay, it's fine.

I should've known that.

♪ Dan: Back in Fresno, music is filling the air.

Nicole: So we got here and we got two recorders to play.

One of us got to read music, play a tune, and the other one got to guess what the tune was.

[squeaking] [both laugh] Troy: Yeah, a little off-key, I would say.

Little bit.

So we just started going with our own key tune in our head and it seemed to work a lot better than trying to actually play the music.

[blowing rhythmically] "When the Saints Go Marching In?"

Oh my gosh.

Wow.

I don't know how the heck I got that.

It doesn't matter what note, we just started playing the note with the beat and if it was a long note, we would play it out and if it was a short note, we'd play it short, not necessarily the actual key that it was played on and it worked a lot better.

Nicole: Just felt it.

I don't even know how this one goes.

[squeaking] Not today.

Not today.

Not today.

We got this.

[squeaks] ♪ ♪ Dan: As Day 8 continues, Team Blue digs deep to complete their second challenge.

Michael: We had to look at the leaves on the board, memorize them, then go find them inside the nursery.

It's a green thumb match game.

All right, that one.

That one's tricky.

Um, big one-- Let me see, let me see.

Yellow in between... Michael: We were guessing on a lot of them based on the color of the leaf, the size of the leaf, the shape of it and everything.

Put it up.

But we finally got them all, and yeah!

YES!

Yes!

Yeah!

We got it!

Here's the envelope for your relative.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

"Your relative lives at 317 West Front Street."

Got it.

Come on, son.

You're driving and I'm sitting.

Dylan: Okay.

♪ Dan: Back onstage, Team Red nears the end of their second challenge.

[squeaking] I just got to get a better tune.

[playing rhythmically] Doo-dah, Yankee Doodle came to town!

Troy: There you go.

Let's go.

If the sisters were playing this challenge right here, they would've crushed it because they're musicians, but for us it definitely was a challenge.

[squeaking] Row, row, your boat?

Nicole: Yes!

We struggled a bit and then Troy guessed the last song and we are finally done.

I hope I never have to see a recorder again.

"Your relative lives at 5840 East Florence Avenue."

Let's go.

Come on.

♪ Dan: Meanwhile, the actual musicians are deep into their art challenge... Jamie: Our next painting was a painting of Napoleon and we had to choose which artist it was painted by.

Is it B?

Is it B?

[bell dings] These were actually pretty hard, and at this point, we were just guessing... Morgan: Let's just say-- pick A.

A.

[bell dings] Oh, awesome!

Whoo!

Yes!

Total luck.

"Your relative lives at 2914 Lambrusco Place."

All right, let's go.

Oh my gosh!

Dan: All teams are now en route to find their relatives.

Police department!

Stop-- Hey, Dylan!

What?

No!

Go back to the police department!

Okay.

[honking] Sir!

Hey, what's that?

Grab that.

When I first saw the envelope on our car, I thought we were in trouble for skipping out on our challenges.

Library.

Do you think the library might be open?

Yeah.

I think it's open!

An information center!

Oh, there's an officer!

Stop!

[jabbering incoherently] We were having a little bit of a problem finding the address, so we pulled up to a police station, caught an officer outside, and he gave us the exact directions.

Thank you, sir.

Thank you for everything you do.

Yup.

Thank you.

Just tell me everything you pass so I can make sure we know we're doing all right.

Okay, we're crossing over Franklin on the right, Auto Jones on the left.

Nicole: Sir!

Troy: He looks like a firefighter.

[honking] Sir!

Hello?

Michael: 2112, all right, it's going to be on your side.

Oh, stop, right there it is!

Pull through here!

Pull through here!

Dylan: Got it.

Michael: Go.

Russell Street, we're crossing over Russell Street...

Yes!

I love knowing where I am!

Jamie: Morgan was calling out the street names and I followed on the map.

Nicole: East Florence!

Troy: East Florence Avenue!

Both: Okay, thank you.

Your relative lives at 3795 Whitman Circle.

I'm liking when the card comes to us.

It's just been that kind of day.

[gentle music] Dan: Back in North Carolina, Team Blue is about to discover their newest relative.

Michael: Awesome job, yes sir.

We did great today.

♪ So I'm running up and I see this lady standing on the front porch.

♪ Hi, I'm Michael.

Michael, I'm your mother.

[gasps] [indistinct] [sobbing] Oh, Michael.

You don't know how good it is-- Darling.

I have waited since I found out I was adopted when I was 11 years old...

I've wanted to meet you.

I've been wanting to see you too.

♪ My name is Rhonda Beckam and I'm Michael's mother.

♪ This is my son, Dylan.

My grandson!

Your grandson.

Oh, gosh.

[crying] Michael: I just met the woman that gave birth to me.

I never thought this day would happen.

That's a moment I'll never forget.

Ever.

[sobbing] [sighs shakily] Come here.

Come here, come here, come here, come here.

Well, I met my mother.

My father.

Brother.

Sister.

All because of "Relative Race."

♪ [camera shutter clicks] ♪ Rebecca: Oh, wow.

Oh.

Look at those people up there.

We're family.

They look like they're related to you.

[chuckles] Johnathon: We pull up to the house and it's beautiful.

It's tucked up in the nice woods here.

Hi, we're the Hoyts!

Hi, I'm Dru.

Hi, I'm Rebecca.

Nice to meet you.

I'm Jared.

Rebecca: Jared, nice to meet you.

You guys mind if we take a picture with you guys real quick?

Dru: Of course not.

Jared: Perfect.

We got to get in real tight, though.

Okay, ready?

[camera shutter clicks] Dan: Team Black is the second team to find their relative and their clock is now stopped.

So whose relative are you guys?

Well, what do you think?

I was betting 80% his.

Well, you are correct.

Oh!

Johnathon, I am your cousin.

Wow!

Dru: It's very nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you as well!

I'm Dru Mattimoe.

And I'm Jared Mattimoe.

And I am Johnathon Hoyt's cousin.

Come on in and enjoy yourself.

Okay, great.

We live in Carmel, California, and we have two sons, Ian and George.

Well, I've been pursuing some creative endeavors and one of my creative endeavors involves writing.

Johnathon: My cousin Dru and her family seem like really creative, awesome people and I think this is going to be a great evening.

Dan: As John is excited to get to know his new relative, two teams have yet to clock in.

58, [mumbling] We found it!

WHOO!

Jamie: All right, 2918, 29... All right, 2914!

Pull in here.

Pull in left.

[dramatic music] Hi!

Morgan: Hello, hi!

How are you?

I'm Morgan.

I'm Hope.

I'm your cousin!

I love the curls!

Nice to meet you.

Can we take a selfie?

Yes.

Awesome.

All right, 1-2-3!

[camera shutter clicks] Dan: Team Green has found their relative and their clock is stopped.

Come on in, I want you to meet my husband.

Oh, thank you so much.

Hi, I'm Hope Mason.

I'm Mark Mason.

We're both ordained ministers.

And I'm also Jamie and Morgan's cousin.

I'm so glad to meet you.

You have no idea.

You really have no idea.

Oh my goodness, it's so nice to meet you.

Well, we got something really nice planned for you.

You ready?

Awesome.

I'm excited.

Let's go.

Jamie: I'm kind of nervous.

What is it?

Morgan: Exciting!

Hi!

Come on in!

Okay, I'm coming in, I'm coming in!

Hi!

We need a selfie.

Nicole: Selfie.

We need a selfie.

Hi.

Man: How ya doin'?

Nicole: Good.

Quick selfie and we can catch up with everybody.

Hold on.

Nicole: Hurry, hurry, hurry!

Here we go.

Okay.

It's old technology, ready?

One, two, three.

[camera shutter clicks] Dan: Team Red has found their relative and their clock is stopped.

All of our teams now get to relax and get to know their newfound family.

Hi!

We're the Higginbothams!

Higginbothams-- I'm Sherry, and my husband, Jerry, and we're rel-- I'm related to you.

Really?

How?

Hi!

I'm Sherry Higginbotham.

I'm Jerry Higginbotham.

I'm a substitute teacher both for music and in the classroom and I'm related to Nicole.

Well, this is fantastic!

Nicole hasn't met a relative since Day 1.

I'm super excited that she met one.

Aw, yes.

Nicole: Even though tonight was my relative, the last seven days, they've been both of our relatives, even though they've been Troy's because they've just encompassed us both so much with so much welcoming and love and excitement.

Sherry: We have daughters that live close by and they're going to come over and we're going to have dinner and we're going to play some games with them and their children.

Awesome.

Sherry: So it should be a lot of fun.

Can't wait!

[music ends] Dan: Back in Statesville, Michael Anderson is getting answers he has been waiting a lifetime to hear.

[sobbing] I never wanted to give you up.

I never did.

Michael: I finally got to sit down with my mom and learn why she gave me up.

Wait, wait, wait, why did she force you?

♪ ♪ Michael: Wait, wait, wait, why did she force you?

She didn't think I was mature enough to take care of you.

Michael: You were 18.

You were young.

So what?

A lot of girls I know's 18 years old.

So you wanted to keep me?

I always wanted to keep you and raise you for myself, to love you and care for you, but no, that wasn't allowed.

I had to have a car first.

Michael: So when my mother told me that she never got to see me and she's always wanted to meet me, it-- Well, it actually made me feel bad for her.

That was my initial thoughts.

I was shocked.

I had no idea that she was forced to give me up.

I never got to see him 'cause when I was giving birth to him, I was put to sleep so I couldn't see him and I never got to see him.

Never had until today.

Michael?

Michael: When I hear stuff like that, I relate myself to that situation as a parent myself and how I would feel.

That's horrible.

I mean, that's just horrible.

Are you all right?

I'm good.

I'm all right.

It wasn't what I expected, that was for sure.

Um, I finally have peace of mind.

Right now, I'm at peace.

I feel complete.

It's been the happiest day of my life, finally get to see my son.

You just don't know how good it is to see you.

Same here.

I got some photographs right in there, if you want to see.

I would love to see those pictures.

Well, they're right inside there.

Michael: Can we go inside and see them?

Rhonda: We sure can.

All right, let's go.

♪ ♪ Johnathon: Dru brings us into her office and sits us down and then she then lets us know that she actually is into podcasting and it's specifically related to family history.

Well, welcome to my podcast.

I love storytelling, so I created a podcast for my family members.

I'd love to hear about the emotions over the past few days.

I think that when we started this race, it came off with "This is going to be exciting.

I'm going to meet my family."

and I quickly realized that it wasn't just exciting.

It was an emotional roller coaster.

Rebecca's explained to me that even though she may have had a rough upbringing and she's had some really hard times in her life, it's brought her to this point.

Well, don't you think sometimes some of these adversities in life end up transforming us in ways that-- When they're painful at the time, but then when you look back, you actually have grown or were made stronger?

Yes, I think the adversity absolutely makes us who we are.

Dru: It was just so good to sit down with Johnathon and Rebecca and just get a chance to get to know them better and they are just wonderful and delightful, so I'm really happy.

This was a good experience.

♪ ♪ Nicole: So I got to meet my cousin, Sherry, and her husband, Jerry.

Hi, guys!

Troy: Come on, we don't bite.

Nicole: And they have five grown children and 16 grandkids, so I was surrounded by kids, eight of them, and I was just in heaven.

The controlled chaos was a lot of fun.

So y'all are four and four?

Yes.

Every one of us has four.

So do we.

It was immediately you're embraced, you're part of the family, grab a plate, let's all sit down, you know, kids running around, who's holding who, it was fantastic.

There was just instant comfort.

Sherry: A minute ago when they came to the door, we were strangers, but now we're family.

From the minute they walked into the house, I've just felt excited and I wanted to talk and get to know who they were.

[music ends] [gentle guitar music] ♪ This here's a picture of my mother and that's her second husband.

Okay.

So that's your grandmother.

Michael: She's pretty.

Rhonda: While I was showing him pictures of my mother and I showed him pictures of my daughter, Nicki.

There's a picture here that I wanted to give you.

Michael: She gave me a picture of my two sisters.

One of them's name is Nicki, who I haven't met yet, and the other one is Stephanie, who I met two days ago on the show.

Rhonda: Well, it made me feel good!

I hope it made him feel good, too.

And there's still more pictures I'd like to show him yet.

[sighs] Michael: I hate I'm not in it, but, like I said, we just met today!

Maybe we can add some of mine to it, you know?

You wanna take some?

Rhonda: Let's do it!

Michael: All right.

We can take some.

So, I decided, let's get up and take some pictures.

Just go in the back yard, take some family photos with my mother.

♪ ♪ Get over here, close as you can.

♪ ♪ I've been alone in this place.

♪ ♪ I wanna get face-to-face, face-to-face.

♪ ♪ ♪ Face-to-face.

♪ ♪ [jazzy gospel music] Jamie: Our relatives, Hope and Mark, brought us to their church, and right when we walked through the doors, it was so obvious we were about to sing.

♪ You are Alpha and Omega.

♪ ♪ We worship You, oh-- ♪ Not only do we share a common belief, but we also just have this opportunity to just sing songs of hope and to worship, and it just felt so good just to be in that setting.

To be with the relatives, and to be able to sing, be able to praise the Lord, it was just amazing.

You can literally meet people, and in ten seconds, you can connect so deeply and in such a valuable way.

That was just so comforting tonight.

♪ Amazing grace, how sweet the sound ♪ ♪ that saved a wretch like me!

♪ ♪ I once was lost, but now am found; ♪ ♪ was blind, but now I see!

♪ ♪ ♪ John: My cousin, Dru, and her son, Ian, take us up the road a little ways to a shed, where Ian actually does glasswork.

Ian: I'm going to teach you guys how to make a little mushroom implosion.

John: He gave us the opportunity to learn how to make these pendants with a little mushroom inside.

Put it in, yeah, right about there.

It'll start getting melty and squirrelly.

John: We have these glass rods, and we put them into the flame, and we kinda-- We had to keep rotating it and it created this sphere.

Rebecca: I definitely didn't think of glass as art until now, because boy, it was really unique, but I liked it!

Surprisingly, I kinda wanted to keep melting it and playing with it!

[laughs] ♪ ♪ Michael: My mom was very nervous about being on TV and for us coming to her home, but she did agree to meet me at a bed and breakfast for a few hours here in Statesville.

This has been one of the best moments of my life.

I have wanted to meet you since I was a kid.

After spending the day with her, like I did, she had to go home.

We're gonna get you home safe, all right?

Okay.

All right, baby.

Rhonda: I don't really want to have to go home, but I know we're gonna be together again.

There are so many questions that he says he'd still like to ask, and I'll do my best to answer them, but I'm thankful, and I'm thanking God for bringing us together.

♪ Michael: This is only day one.

This isn't the end.

This is just the beginning, and I know that when the race is over, I'll have time to have a lot more dinners with her, to have a lot more of everything!

I've been so happy seeing my son for the very first time, and I hope to be spending more time with my son, and my grandson, too.

It's just getting to know my son, now.

We're going at your pace!

So, the taxi pulls up, popped the umbrella open, 'cause it's raining, walked my mother to the taxi.

All right, sweetie, one last hug tonight.

You be safe, okay?

♪ Bye.

For the first time in the race, we're waving bye to a relative.

They're not waving bye to us.

That was different.

♪ Michael: I started this race incomplete, as a person.

Not necessarily as a man, or a father.

I am who I am, and I'll always be who I am, but it has completed me so much more as a human being.

Thank you so much.

♪ ♪ Dan: Day 8 of "Relative Race" enters its final moments.

Elimination is on the line for three teams tonight.

Only Team Black can sit back knowing they have immunity.

John: We expect that we're gonna get last place today.

We took our time, we took the scenic route, we stopped at the beach.

Michael: I think we did pretty good!

I think-- I think-- I mean, it could've been a little bit better, but I don't think we bombed.

No.

[grunts] Yes!

I think we'll be here tomorrow.

Troy: We're pretty nervous right now.

Our hope is hanging on how well we did in that football challenge.

Yeah, 'cause that's all we've got.

Jamie: If we end up, you know, getting our third strike, we'll definitely be bummed that we didn't get to continue in the race.

OH MY GOSH!

If I have to take the fall so that someone can go and get to know their mom better, then I'm okay with that.

♪ [intense music] It is Day 8, and all four of you are still alive.

Who will receive the strike tonight?

We know one team that won't be receiving the strike.

Team Black, you basically decided to take the day off and act like a tourist, which is surprising, because, by doing so, you also basically forfeited any chance of winning a first place prize again.

Did you talk about that?

Yes, we did.

We actually thought we wanted to go for the first place prize, but then decided that, you know, we needed a mental day, and a physical day off.

John: Well, we had a nice lunch here in Carmel, and went down to the beach, spent some time in the sand and the water.

Dan: Team Red.

Today, you seem to be beaming a little bit differently.

It just seems to be a good day for you, then.

Nicole: It is, and I, I love-- I mean, you know, we come from a family that's six deep everywhere we go, with four kids of our own, and it's fantastic, because each one of their kids has four kids, so we are literally surrounded by so many kids right now, and I am in heaven.

It's so much fun.

Dan: Michael and Dylan.

I gotta tell you, you guys kinda had a home-court advantage today.

You literally started and ended in your home state.

Do you feel that that helped you?

Did you know the roads?

Did you-- Did you feel more comfortable because of that?

Well, let's just say, when we left our relative this morning, I didn't even use a map to get to our destination.

How's that?

Wow.

But I want to spend a minute talking about who did you find today?

Today, for the first time in my life, I get to say I met my mother.

♪ [exhales] It was very emotional, to say the least.

I've calmed down quite a bit since then.

Rebecca: I was profoundly and deeply happy for him to have that experience that I know that I would've longed for my whole life, and I can't imagine the joy that's in his heart right now.

It was absolutely-- outside of the birth of my children, the best day of my life.

I'm happy, Dan.

I'm very happy.

♪ [music intensifies] We have three teams: Team Red, Team Green, and Team Blue, each with two strikes.

I first want to tell you who finished in last place today.

No surprise: Team Black.

Rebecca: A day at the beach, a casual lunch, and a trip to Day 10?

It's all good.

Dan: Well, let's just say that you were several hours, almost three hours, over your allotted time, and you can smile only because of one reason: you have immunity, which means that the third place team tonight will be the team that finishes in last place and receives a strike.

Finishing in first place, 14 minutes over their allotted time...

Team Blue.

First place!

For the first time.

Yes!

It feels great.

It's awesome!

We came in second four times!

It's finally-- it's nice to get that monkey off our back!

Michael and Dylan, this is new for you!

You haven't finished in first place, and so, you have a choice to make: Do you choose the immediate game benefit, which is a one-minute phone call to anyone, at any time during the race, or do you choose a Day 10 benefit, which can only help you if you make it to Day 10, and you have two strikes.

We're planning on being here for Day 10, so we're going to take the Day 10 benefit.

♪ Dan: Team Blue finishes 14 minutes over their allotted time.

Finishing 56 minutes over their allotted time... and safe for another day... is Team Red!

[gasps] Dan: Team Green, 1 hour and 17 minutes over your allotted time.

That means you're out of the race and headed home.

The only good thing is that you get to spend this night with your new relative.

We do have a flight for you home tomorrow, and we hope that this journey has been everything that you had hoped for, that family has come to mean something even more, but I want to hear what you have to say.

What has this journey been for you?

First of all, the privilege to continue to meet our family has been absolutely exceptional and astonishing, and we're so honored to be a part of a show that we love and to have this opportunity, but also, for Morgan and I, when we get back home tomorrow, we're going to walk into a home where we both live, where her husband lives, and where our mom and dad live, and if we have to be the first ones to go home so that Troy and Michael and Rebecca continue to have experiences with their parents that they deserve, um, it's worth it for us.

So, we would've loved to continue in the race, but what we've seen Rebecca, and Michael, and Troy go through, no one should ever have to deal with that kind of pain, and we are honored to have been a part of their story, and we cannot wait to see how they continue to do in the rest of this race.

Morgan: This experience has taught us so much.

We-- It was impossible-- Without "Relative Race," I don't know how we could've met the relatives that we've met, and we feel like we have a family here, just from these Skype calls, but, um, yeah.

This experience has taught us a lot, and we're cheering you guys on.

We're not just saying that, we-- Not just in this show, but just in your life, in your journey, what y'all discover, we are cheering y'all on.

This is-- this is really awesome.

And Jamie and Morgan, I can tell you that from the "Relative Race" family, we'll be cheering you on.

What you do, and the messages that you bring in music, are inspiring, and something that we should all gather behind, but watching you discover family has been a privilege.

So, congratulations.

Good luck in those musical careers.

We'll be watching, and we'll be rooting you on.

Dylan: Team Green, they are so full of energy, so fun.

Positive.

Positive.

They are the most-- Supportive.

They are the most positive people in this race, and I love that.

I hate that they have to go.

They-- Yeah, absolutely.

I hate that.

Jamie, Morgan, you are wonderful people.

and we feel honored to have met you.

♪ Dan: Tomorrow is another day, and yet, for the first time, there will only be three of you.

So I bid you good luck while we say goodbye to Morgan and Jamie.

Get some rest.

We'll see you tomorrow.

Both: We love you guys!

Love you, Jamie and Morgan!

Thank you so much for the prayers and the wishes!

We love you!

Dan: Day 8 is now over, and the results are official.

Finishing last today was Team Black, almost three hours over their allotted time, but the benefit of immunity saved them from receiving a second strike.

It's sad to see somebody go home, but at the same time, They were probably our hardest competition, those girls, 'cause they are very smart.

I think they were our biggest competition going into Day 10.

Dan: It took eight days, but Team Blue finally captures their first first-place victory of the race.

Michael: I guess this is our Day 10 benefit, and I have no idea what that means.

Dan: Coming in second was Team Red, at 56 minutes over their allotted time.

[sighs] Live to fight another day.

Oh my gosh!

Dan: And with Team Black having immunity, third place becomes last for Team Green as they finish 1 hour and 17 minutes over their allotted time.

[gentle guitar music] ♪ Jamie: We did the race because we wanted to find family; we wanted to continue to explore the rest of our family tree.

I feel like we gave it all that we could have, and honestly, for us, we're so just, just in awe of people's stories.

One of the biggest things that we'll take away from this race are definitely the relationships that we've built.

It's been the most exceptional and incredible experience, and we're so grateful that we've gotten to meet so many incredible relatives.

♪