Two eastern Iowa women who are friends on Facebook have discovered they’re actually related, thanks to a post on the social networking site. Paula O’Brien of Davenport and Abbey Donohoe of Bettendorf met at a party four years ago and found they had a lot in common.

Now, because of a Facebook post O’Brien made last week, Donohoe discovered O’Brien is her aunt by birth. After her birth 29 years ago, Donohoe was put up for adoption.

The Facebook post by O’Brien dealt with a Davenport woman’s blog about living as a birth mother. And the anniversary of the birth, the same as Donahoe’s, caught her attention.

O’Brien and Donahoe exchanged private messages and quickly determined that they are aunt and niece. Donahoe was fathered by O’Brien’s brother and put up for adoption.

By Phil Roberts, Davenport