What some people spend years trying to find, Eric Schubert can track down in a matter of days — and sometimes hours.
Schubert, 18, excels at genealogy, a hobby he picked up at 10 years old. The New Jersey resident started by investigating his own family's history, and has since branched out and is helping other people find their long-lost relatives. Schubert told CBS New York it's easier than ever to connect people, thanks to increased access to public records and DNA home kits. "It's a big puzzle," he said. "You just have to look at all the pieces and put it together in the correct places."
Schubert thinks he's helped more than 1,000 people across the U.S. with their genealogy. He recently connected his friend Sammy Lynam with her birth father and half-sister, and the siblings have since become close. For Kate DeSantis, he was able to find information on her biological mother. "I've gone through my life not looking like anyone," she said, "and to see a picture of my birth mother and then to find out I have siblings — and I look like I belong. It was overwhelming."
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Schubert is graduating from high school next week, and said he plans on continuing his genealogical adventures next year at college. Catherine Garcia
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