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鈥檚 loved ones on hand, holding signs that said 鈥淵ou Found Me鈥� and a balloon saying, 鈥淚t鈥檚 a girl,鈥� 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.

鈥淚 actually spent an entire year, driving from Surrey to Mission every day, trying to find clues,鈥� she said.

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

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

鈥淪he (Debbie) told me they never stopped looking for me,鈥� Michelle said. 鈥淭hat means the world to me.鈥�

One of the challenges was that Michelle鈥檚 birth name was Kelly-Anne. Her adoptive parents named her Michelle.

For Debbie, if it was a short flight from Alberta, Saturday鈥檚 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.

鈥淕ive the mom a second to even hold the child, give her a first kiss,鈥� Debbie said.

In the end, she didn鈥檛 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鈥檚 19th birthday but was given no information.

鈥淭hey didn鈥檛 give me anything after she was 19,鈥� Debbie said. 鈥淚 always stayed positive. I knew I would find her.鈥�

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

鈥淚 was extremely nervous because after 38 years, you don鈥檛 know if you鈥檙e going to get rejected,鈥� Debbie said.

Debbie reached out to Michelle鈥檚 partner, Dave Goodall, on Facebook, July 10.

鈥淒ave didn鈥檛 know what to think at first鈥� some random woman claiming to be my mom, contacts him out of the blue,鈥� said Michelle. 鈥淭his is so surreal. This is 鈥� years of wondering if she is alive, who she is, what she looks like, all these different things.鈥�

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

鈥淚 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.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a big puzzle piece that was missing. I feel complete now.鈥�

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.

鈥淭he weird thing is my dad lived in Union Bay for about six years,鈥� said Michelle. 鈥淭his is a pretty small community, so chances are good that we鈥檇 met before.鈥�

Michelle has four step-sisters from Debbie鈥檚 side and two brothers from Sean鈥檚 side.

鈥淭hen there鈥檚 my adoptive brother, here, so I have seven siblings,鈥� she said.

Debbie will be visiting until Aug. 28.

(With files from Mike Chouinard)