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Woman finds family on Ancestry

This Woman Live-Tweeted Finding Her Biological Family And It's Amazing

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Updated July 10 2018, 3:06 p.m. ET

Source: Twitter

It's easy at times to take our families for granted; they're always around, borrowing our stuff, eating the drumstick at Thanksgiving. But for many people, hanging onto family is really hard. The story of a woman named Albreanna is an incredible reminder of what it means to be surrounded by people you're related to, because she's been looking for them for years.

Albreanna was adopted as a baby. Her adopted mother passed away when she was 17, and she's mostly been on her own since. She'd sworn that she would find her biological family somehow, but wasn't having any luck. In early July, she shared the story of how it finally happened.

I found my biological family. I’m a daughter. I’m a sister. I’m an aunt. I’m a granddaughter. Bitch I’m a relative!!! A thread...

— albreannafindme (@Albreanna89) July 8, 2018

All she knew was that her mother was Thai and her dad was black. That's not a lot to go on to find an entire family.

First of all a little about me. I was adopted at birth and never knew my family or where I came from. I just knew my mom was Thai and my dad was black and I was on a mission to find them. pic.twitter.com/KG4oRR3H1x

— albreannafindme (@Albreanna89) July 8, 2018

But then, one day, they found her:

So I get a message from this guy off of @Ancestry. He asked me ?’s like is your name Albreanna? Were you born in SC and is your bday in August? I’m like yeahhh... pic.twitter.com/4EqpuW1a5T

— albreannafindme (@Albreanna89) July 8, 2018

He’s like, “well I’m your brother and I been looking for you for years”. My heart instantly drops & I’m like don’t play! He’s like yeah & you’re the 3rd youngest of 4. I’m shook pic.twitter.com/O1fsNNp6EO

— albreannafindme (@Albreanna89) July 8, 2018

Technology has improved a lot over the last few decades. Ancestry is one of many services that tracks people, and at times even tracks DNA. Albreanna had a family, and they'd been looking for her, too. She was one of four children who shared the same birth mother.

So he gets me on group FaceTime with all my siblings. We all share the same Thai mom but different dads. Mom was a rolling stone back in the day. pic.twitter.com/wYRmaauPWO

— albreannafindme (@Albreanna89) July 8, 2018

Check out this adorable family on a 4-way call. 

Source: Twitter

It turned out her youngest brother was only 30 minutes away, so she rushed over to give him a hug in real life:

My youngest brother who is the one who found me ironically lives 30mins away from me in LA. So I zoomed over to meet him. pic.twitter.com/a5lEO99YBN

— albreannafindme (@Albreanna89) July 8, 2018

As a surprise for their mother, Albreanna's siblings decided to bring her to a Fourth of July celebration:

for the 4th of July just for a family vacay. She had no clue that they found me and was just going to surprise her. pic.twitter.com/0SfkyNZUGK

— albreannafindme (@Albreanna89) July 8, 2018

Before she met her bio mom, Albreanna shared her feelings about what was to come. She was excited, but also scared about how her mom would react. Would she accept her? Would she be mad that her other kids sprung Albreanna on her? It was a scary moment.

So I head out prepared, overwhelmed, shook, excited and scared of rejection all in one feeling. pic.twitter.com/nA7DiVbGLw

— albreannafindme (@Albreanna89) July 8, 2018

You can see all the feelings on her face in this picture:

Source: Twitter

But she had a lot of backup. Her siblings felt incredibly familiar to her, and helped her relax. A little.

My siblings and I instantly connect and I can tell they was my blood. 🙄😂 pic.twitter.com/ybvDHdaIRE

— albreannafindme (@Albreanna89) July 8, 2018

Her siblings helped coach her through the encounter:

Fast forward it’s about to go down. pic.twitter.com/F3qYRjnfiD

— albreannafindme (@Albreanna89) July 8, 2018

They broke the news to Albreanna's mom that she was here, and there wasn't a dry eye in the house. Warning: this video will make you cry:

We meet! My brother’s shirt was soaking wet she only 5’2 pic.twitter.com/KPjmcdodON

— albreannafindme (@Albreanna89) July 8, 2018

At first she was confused about who this extra person was on the family vacation:

Source: Twitter

When her kids told her, "That's sister," she didn't believe it at first. Then she broke down.

Source: Twitter

There's some moments from the timeline missing as, I guess, Albreanna and her mom greeted each other. But then they were like old friends:

She is loud, crazy, and wild just like me! pic.twitter.com/ygDqNQm9Al

— albreannafindme (@Albreanna89) July 8, 2018

And she found out that her mom has been thinking about her all these years, too, and even got a tattoo of her name right after giving her up for adoption:

My mom got my name tatted on her ankle the next day after she gave me up. She told me she was never going to forget about me. And she didn’t. 😩 pic.twitter.com/uvBueGl0eN

— albreannafindme (@Albreanna89) July 8, 2018

The two had a lot to catch up on:

I am complete. I’m a child who found ppl who look like me. Act like me. It’s crazy that my mom and I share the same mannerism but never grew up around her. pic.twitter.com/36CVddy7Mn

— albreannafindme (@Albreanna89) July 8, 2018

Wait, was this all an amazing ad for Ancestry.com?

Thank you @Ancestry for connecting me with my long lost family. My journey is complete and life has new beginnings. pic.twitter.com/NXbK6WoG9K

— albreannafindme (@Albreanna89) July 8, 2018

If it was, I'm 100% sold.

Albreanna says that this experience has been so important and life-changing for her that she wants to help other people reunite with their birth families if they can. Not all of them can end so well, but she believes it's worth a try, and is hoping people will share her story to inspire others.

Send me your story! I can’t wait to help everyone on their journey. Let’s make this happen! #albreannafindme pic.twitter.com/mzTOtMA8Jk

— albreannafindme (@Albreanna89) July 9, 2018

A loving family is precious, whether they're biological, married into, or found. Albreanna's story gives us all a reason to hold the people we love a little closer today.

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