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 MichelleB次元官网网址檚 loved ones on hand, holding signs that said B次元官网网址淵ou Found MeB次元官网网址� and a balloon saying, B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a girl,B次元官网网址� 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.

B次元官网网址淚 actually spent an entire year, driving from Surrey to Mission every day, trying to find clues,B次元官网网址� she said.

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

Though their intimate relationship ended shortly after MichelleB次元官网网址檚 birth, Debbie and MichelleB次元官网网址檚 biological father, Sean Ferguson, have maintained a connection all this time, in hopes of someday meeting their child.

B次元官网网址淪he (Debbie) told me they never stopped looking for me,B次元官网网址� Michelle said. B次元官网网址淭hat means the world to me.B次元官网网址�

One of the challenges was that MichelleB次元官网网址檚 birth name was Kelly-Anne. Her adoptive parents named her Michelle.

For Debbie, if it was a short flight from Alberta, SaturdayB次元官网网址檚 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.

B次元官网网址淕ive the mom a second to even hold the child, give her a first kiss,B次元官网网址� Debbie said.

In the end, she didnB次元官网网址檛 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 babyB次元官网网址檚 19th birthday but was given no information.

B次元官网网址淭hey didnB次元官网网址檛 give me anything after she was 19,B次元官网网址� Debbie said. B次元官网网址淚 always stayed positive. I knew I would find her.B次元官网网址�

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

B次元官网网址淚 was extremely nervous because after 38 years, you donB次元官网网址檛 know if youB次元官网网址檙e going to get rejected,B次元官网网址� Debbie said.

Debbie reached out to MichelleB次元官网网址檚 partner, Dave Goodall, on Facebook, July 10.

B次元官网网址淒ave didnB次元官网网址檛 know what to think at firstB次元官网网址� some random woman claiming to be my mom, contacts him out of the blue,B次元官网网址� said Michelle. B次元官网网址淭his is so surreal. This is B次元官网网址� years of wondering if she is alive, who she is, what she looks like, all these different things.B次元官网网址�

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

B次元官网网址淚 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.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a big puzzle piece that was missing. I feel complete now.B次元官网网址�

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.

B次元官网网址淭he weird thing is my dad lived in Union Bay for about six years,B次元官网网址� said Michelle. B次元官网网址淭his is a pretty small community, so chances are good that weB次元官网网址檇 met before.B次元官网网址�

Michelle has four step-sisters from DebbieB次元官网网址檚 side and two brothers from SeanB次元官网网址檚 side.

B次元官网网址淭hen thereB次元官网网址檚 my adoptive brother, here, so I have seven siblings,B次元官网网址� she said.

Debbie will be visiting until Aug. 28.

(With files from Mike Chouinard)