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 Michelle含羞草研究社檚 loved ones on hand, holding signs that said 含羞草研究社淵ou Found Me含羞草研究社� and a balloon saying, 含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 a girl,含羞草研究社� 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.

含羞草研究社淚 actually spent an entire year, driving from Surrey to Mission every day, trying to find clues,含羞草研究社� she said.

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

Though their intimate relationship ended shortly after Michelle含羞草研究社檚 birth, Debbie and Michelle含羞草研究社檚 biological father, Sean Ferguson, have maintained a connection all this time, in hopes of someday meeting their child.

含羞草研究社淪he (Debbie) told me they never stopped looking for me,含羞草研究社� Michelle said. 含羞草研究社淭hat means the world to me.含羞草研究社�

One of the challenges was that Michelle含羞草研究社檚 birth name was Kelly-Anne. Her adoptive parents named her Michelle.

For Debbie, if it was a short flight from Alberta, Saturday含羞草研究社檚 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.

含羞草研究社淕ive the mom a second to even hold the child, give her a first kiss,含羞草研究社� Debbie said.

In the end, she didn含羞草研究社檛 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 baby含羞草研究社檚 19th birthday but was given no information.

含羞草研究社淭hey didn含羞草研究社檛 give me anything after she was 19,含羞草研究社� Debbie said. 含羞草研究社淚 always stayed positive. I knew I would find her.含羞草研究社�

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

含羞草研究社淚 was extremely nervous because after 38 years, you don含羞草研究社檛 know if you含羞草研究社檙e going to get rejected,含羞草研究社� Debbie said.

Debbie reached out to Michelle含羞草研究社檚 partner, Dave Goodall, on Facebook, July 10.

含羞草研究社淒ave didn含羞草研究社檛 know what to think at first含羞草研究社� some random woman claiming to be my mom, contacts him out of the blue,含羞草研究社� said Michelle. 含羞草研究社淭his is so surreal. This is 含羞草研究社� years of wondering if she is alive, who she is, what she looks like, all these different things.含羞草研究社�

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

含羞草研究社淚 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.

含羞草研究社淚t含羞草研究社檚 a big puzzle piece that was missing. I feel complete now.含羞草研究社�

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.

含羞草研究社淭he weird thing is my dad lived in Union Bay for about six years,含羞草研究社� said Michelle. 含羞草研究社淭his is a pretty small community, so chances are good that we含羞草研究社檇 met before.含羞草研究社�

Michelle has four step-sisters from Debbie含羞草研究社檚 side and two brothers from Sean含羞草研究社檚 side.

含羞草研究社淭hen there含羞草研究社檚 my adoptive brother, here, so I have seven siblings,含羞草研究社� she said.

Debbie will be visiting until Aug. 28.

(With files from Mike Chouinard)