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 Michellesa国际传媒檚 loved ones on hand, holding signs that said sa国际传媒淵ou Found Mesa国际传媒� and a balloon saying, sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 a girl,sa国际传媒� 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.

sa国际传媒淚 actually spent an entire year, driving from Surrey to Mission every day, trying to find clues,sa国际传媒� she said.

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

Though their intimate relationship ended shortly after Michellesa国际传媒檚 birth, Debbie and Michellesa国际传媒檚 biological father, Sean Ferguson, have maintained a connection all this time, in hopes of someday meeting their child.

sa国际传媒淪he (Debbie) told me they never stopped looking for me,sa国际传媒� Michelle said. sa国际传媒淭hat means the world to me.sa国际传媒�

One of the challenges was that Michellesa国际传媒檚 birth name was Kelly-Anne. Her adoptive parents named her Michelle.

For Debbie, if it was a short flight from Alberta, Saturdaysa国际传媒檚 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.

sa国际传媒淕ive the mom a second to even hold the child, give her a first kiss,sa国际传媒� Debbie said.

In the end, she didnsa国际传媒檛 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 babysa国际传媒檚 19th birthday but was given no information.

sa国际传媒淭hey didnsa国际传媒檛 give me anything after she was 19,sa国际传媒� Debbie said. sa国际传媒淚 always stayed positive. I knew I would find her.sa国际传媒�

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

sa国际传媒淚 was extremely nervous because after 38 years, you donsa国际传媒檛 know if yousa国际传媒檙e going to get rejected,sa国际传媒� Debbie said.

Debbie reached out to Michellesa国际传媒檚 partner, Dave Goodall, on Facebook, July 10.

sa国际传媒淒ave didnsa国际传媒檛 know what to think at firstsa国际传媒� some random woman claiming to be my mom, contacts him out of the blue,sa国际传媒� said Michelle. sa国际传媒淭his is so surreal. This is sa国际传媒� years of wondering if she is alive, who she is, what she looks like, all these different things.sa国际传媒�

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

sa国际传媒淚 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.

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 a big puzzle piece that was missing. I feel complete now.sa国际传媒�

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.

sa国际传媒淭he weird thing is my dad lived in Union Bay for about six years,sa国际传媒� said Michelle. sa国际传媒淭his is a pretty small community, so chances are good that wesa国际传媒檇 met before.sa国际传媒�

Michelle has four step-sisters from Debbiesa国际传媒檚 side and two brothers from Seansa国际传媒檚 side.

sa国际传媒淭hen theresa国际传媒檚 my adoptive brother, here, so I have seven siblings,sa国际传媒� she said.

Debbie will be visiting until Aug. 28.

(With files from Mike Chouinard)