Adopted girl sees her biological father for the first time

Father and daughter reunited after 31 years apart

Michelle Cehn was adopted and was lovingly raised as a beloved daughter, but she yearned to know who her biological parents were.

She had been adopted at birth by Joan Cehn , 68, and Joel Cehn , 71 in October 1986, and the couple gave her a wonderful childhood.

As she grew, so did Michelle's curiosity about who her biological parents were, and why they had given her up for adoption.

She was determined to find them, and a Youtube video of her reunion with her father has gone viral.

“Growing up, I was always so curious and had a hunger and fascination and quest to hopefully one day find my birth mother and didn’t think it would be possible to find my birth father.”

Michelle Cehn, Inside Edition, 29th of August 2018.

Looking for her roots

First, Michelle found her biological mother in 2009 when her adoptive mother helped her with the search.

Her birth mother, Diane, had given birth to Michelle at 23, and feeling she wasn't able to provide for her, had given her up for adoption.

Michelle and Diane met and became good friends, but she still wanted to meet her biological father.

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Her father's identity was a mystery

Diane told Michelle that she didn't know who her father was, so the young woman decided to do a DNA test.

She sent her DNA into several DNA testing sites, hoping familial DNA tests would pop up relatives she could contact for information on her birth father.

The test identified a relative, and Michelle reached out and contacted the person, and through them discovered her father.

Michelle found an extended family who loves her

Greg Hicks had no idea he had fathered a child, and after a DNA test confirmed his paternity, he was eager to meet Michelle.

The video of their meeting and their warm loving first embrace has gone viral and has had nearly 200.000 views

Michelle didn't just find her father, she was introduced to Hick's parents - her grandparents - and discovered she has a brother too.

According to Psychology Today, adoptees often feel a need to confirm their identity and create bonds with their past by meeting their biological parents. According to research statistics, approximately 1% of contacted birth-parents refuse all contacted with the children they gave up for adoption.

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