I think the bigger lesson from Sean's experience is that we don't know what we don't know. And he didn't.
He had a family story to tell, and he told it. It took him six years because he is young - his "six years" most likely started in high school. He's never done much research and he was never a journalist. Plus, he had the turmoil of a family divorce and remarriage to contend with.
So, give the kid a break. He is an earnest, thoughtful and kind-hearted guy, but clearly inexperienced. Nevertheless, he had the balls to put his story out there, and that has to count for something.