Celebrity medium Tyler Henry, who made a career out of helping people connect with their dead family members, got personal about his own family history on the show "Life After Death With Tyler Henry," which had its premiere on streaming giant Netflix earlier this year.
The show alternates between his work with clients and segments that feature Henry and his mom, Theresa Koelewyn, whom he describes as his best friend, uncovering a true crime story in their past. Koelewyn discovered life-changing information about her family three years ago, in 2019, thanks to an at-home DNA test. She learned then that the woman who raised her, Stella Guirdy Nestle, was not her biological mom.
Koelewyn spoke to TODAY All Day during her first joint interview with her son since their Netflix show premiered in March. She said the revelation was bittersweet for her. Nestle was a convicted murderer, according to Fowler Ensign's reporting that was obtained via Newspapers.com.
Koelewyn revealed the woman who raised her was a murderer
Koelewyn told Tamron Hall that when she was 12, Nestle was sentenced to two concurrent life terms in prison for murdering and torturing two people, per the Fowler Ensign. She said that she still can't come to terms with that part, adding that it is one thing to murder someone, but torturing them is another matter.
According to Prison Legal News, Nestle was granted parole in 2009. Koelewyn revealed that finding Nestle was not her biological mother was a relief. She said that it made her happy that Henry does not have a grandmother who is a murderer.
Ironically, Henry said his powers of insight were not helpful when understanding his mother's past as he was too close to the situation according to the celebrity medium. He said that his process should not be impeded by logic or information.
Henry and his mom struggled to find acceptance
Henry added that because it is him, because he has his own feelings and thoughts and expectations, that bias prevents him from being able to connect intuitively. He admitted that not being able to help his mom in the way that he has helped so many other people was difficult for him.
Henry said it felt like the tables were turned in a sense that he found himself in a vulnerable position in pursuit of answers. He felt a sense of desperation; he thinks it taught him and gave him insight into closure. Henry added that it is not something you achieve, as much as it is something you have to grow through and find acceptance around.
Finding acceptance has also been a tough journey for Koelewyn, especially when redefining her idea of family. The Netflix show dissects her close relationship with the people who grew up as her siblings.
