Rachel Buckman, a cashier at Celina 52 Truck Stop, gave birth to her son, Cash Jamal Buckman, on February 17. A congratulatory post from her employer featuring a photo of Rachel, her fiancé Paul Buckman, and their newborn quickly went viral.
The image raised eyebrows across social media. Both parents are white, while the baby appears to be Black — a detail that led thousands of commenters to question whether Paul was the biological father.
In response, the truck stop edited its post to defend the couple, claiming Rachel has African ancestry that could explain the baby’s skin tone. The post also suggested the child’s coloring might be affected by jaundice.
Rachel later posted her ancestry DNA results, showing she is 1% Cameroon, Congo, and Western Bantu. She insisted this genetic trace was enough to account for her son’s complexion and demanded critics stop “slandering” her family.
Despite her explanation, skepticism persisted. Some commenters called for a hospital investigation, while others mocked the situation with jokes and memes. One user quipped, “That’s the strongest 1% I’ve ever seen — this looks like a job for Maury.”
Paul Buckman addressed the controversy on his personal Facebook page, posting cryptic messages including, “Have you ever had the feeling that everyone is laughing at you?” He later confirmed he had requested a DNA test.
The original post has been shared more than 33,000 times and inspired commentary across TikTok, including a video with over 6 million views. One creator remarked, “As long as Paul’s happy, you hear me?”
In a bizarre twist, Celina 52 Truck Stop announced a temporary closure, claiming it would conduct polygraph and DNA tests on all staff. The company did not clarify whether the statement was serious or satirical.
The story continues to circulate online, raising questions about race, genetics, and public scrutiny in the age of viral media. Neither Rachel nor Paul has publicly shared the results of the DNA test.
