A tearful reunion, 38 years in the making, took place Saturday at Comox Valley Airport.

Courtenay resident Michelle Alksne met her biological mother, Debbie Touet, for the first time Saturday. With Michelle91裸聊视频檚 loved ones on hand, holding signs that said 91裸聊视频淵ou Found Me91裸聊视频� and a balloon saying, 91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 a girl,91裸聊视频� they waited in anticipation, and when Michelle saw her mom approaching the terminal, she jumped up and down and ran for an embrace. Mother and daughter hugged for several minutes, before Michelle starting pointing out who was who to her mom.

Debbie flew in from Barrhead, Alta. for the meeting.

Michelle was born in Mission. She and her adoptive parents, Steve and Wendy, moved to Vancouver Island in 1991, when Michelle was 10.

She found out she was adopted five years later, and has been searching for her biological parents ever since - including some time back on the mainland.

91裸聊视频淚 actually spent an entire year, driving from Surrey to Mission every day, trying to find clues,91裸聊视频� she said.

Little did she know that her biological parents were doing the same.

Though their intimate relationship ended shortly after Michelle91裸聊视频檚 birth, Debbie and Michelle91裸聊视频檚 biological father, Sean Ferguson, have maintained a connection all this time, in hopes of someday meeting their child.

91裸聊视频淪he (Debbie) told me they never stopped looking for me,91裸聊视频� Michelle said. 91裸聊视频淭hat means the world to me.91裸聊视频�

One of the challenges was that Michelle91裸聊视频檚 birth name was Kelly-Anne. Her adoptive parents named her Michelle.

For Debbie, if it was a short flight from Alberta, Saturday91裸聊视频檚 meeting marked the end of a much longer journey. She remembers the day she gave birth vividly, saying the nurses differed on whether she should even hold the baby.

91裸聊视频淕ive the mom a second to even hold the child, give her a first kiss,91裸聊视频� Debbie said.

In the end, she didn91裸聊视频檛 get the chance. She and her mother even went back to the hospital a few days later, but her baby was gone. What followed were some difficult choices, as she moved into the city to spare her family. Along the way, there was misinformation and deception from social services people, as she had been told things, like being able to get a photo of the child at age 19, then was not allowed to, or having the records released. She waited in anticipation for the baby91裸聊视频檚 19th birthday but was given no information.

91裸聊视频淭hey didn91裸聊视频檛 give me anything after she was 19,91裸聊视频� Debbie said. 91裸聊视频淚 always stayed positive. I knew I would find her.91裸聊视频�

The name changes and everything else only made the search harder. Social media, though, helped her track down her biological daughter.

91裸聊视频淚 was extremely nervous because after 38 years, you don91裸聊视频檛 know if you91裸聊视频檙e going to get rejected,91裸聊视频� Debbie said.

Debbie reached out to Michelle91裸聊视频檚 partner, Dave Goodall, on Facebook, July 10.

91裸聊视频淒ave didn91裸聊视频檛 know what to think at first91裸聊视频� some random woman claiming to be my mom, contacts him out of the blue,91裸聊视频� said Michelle. 91裸聊视频淭his is so surreal. This is 91裸聊视频� years of wondering if she is alive, who she is, what she looks like, all these different things.91裸聊视频�

Michelle said an important part of the reconnection is learning about her medical background.

91裸聊视频淚 have been through a lot of medical issues. So for me to find out a lot of that medical background is wonderful, because now I know who I get if from and why I have these issues.

91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 a big puzzle piece that was missing. I feel complete now.91裸聊视频�

Sean, who now lives in Edmonton, did not make the trip to Courtenay, but they have already been in contact. Michelle found Sean on Facebook and the two met through a FaceTime visit.

91裸聊视频淭he weird thing is my dad lived in Union Bay for about six years,91裸聊视频� said Michelle. 91裸聊视频淭his is a pretty small community, so chances are good that we91裸聊视频檇 met before.91裸聊视频�

Michelle has four step-sisters from Debbie91裸聊视频檚 side and two brothers from Sean91裸聊视频檚 side.

91裸聊视频淭hen there91裸聊视频檚 my adoptive brother, here, so I have seven siblings,91裸聊视频� she said.

Debbie will be visiting until Aug. 28.

(With files from Mike Chouinard)