Alabama Mom Reunites with Daughter 42 Years after Family Forced Her to Give Her up for Adoption

After ten years of searching for one another and with more than a thousand miles between them, a mom from Alabama reunited with the biological daughter she gave up 42 years ago.

Jean Phillips gave up her newborn daughter for adoption when she was only 15. At first, she wasn't aware she was pregnant, but when she found out, she was forced by her family to give the baby up.

For 42 years, Jean did not stop thinking about her child and kept looking for her. And finally, after decades and with miles in between, they were reunited. WKRG witnessed the touching reunion that marked the beginning of a beautiful relationship between mother and daughter.

"For 42 years, I've been lost. Now I am found," Jean said. She shared that her daughter, Jennifer Phillips, still had the same hands she did when she was a little baby, noting that they looked the same as when Jennifer was taken away from her four decades ago.

For years, Jean felt lost without her daughter. A family member had arranged the adoption through an agency in Pensacola because they believed she was too young to raise a child. Jennifer was adopted by a family from Idaho, and they lost touch ever since.

Although Jennifer admits she had a great and happy life with her adoptive parents, the thought of seeing her birth mother never left her. Coincidentally, Jennifer's husband shares the same last name as her biological mom, which is why she also carries the last name Phillips.

As Jean spotted her daughter on the pier, she kept saying "that's my baby" while walking towards her.

Growing up, Jennifer recalled looking around, wondering if anyone she'd crossed paths with was her mother. It was quite a thought knowing that someone out there looked like her.

With so many questions in their minds that they wanted answers to, both Jennifer and Jean searched for one another for ten years. Finally, after reaching out to the same Pensacola adoption agency, they found each other and decided to meet up.

Jennifer and her family made the trip down to Alabama, where she met with Jean at the Fairhope Municipal Pier. When Jean spotted her daughter on the pier, she kept saying, "That's my baby" while walking towards her. Upon meeting, the two women hugged for quite a long time.

While Jean went to the pier alone, Jennifer brought her husband and two kids along so that they could also meet Jean. They spent the afternoon together so they could catch up on the years they were apart, with Jennifer sharing her childhood photos with her biological mother so she could see a glimpse of her life.

Jennifer also made sure to take photos with her mom and her entire family, so that they had proof of the special day. WKRG was there to document the once-in-a-lifetime meet-up, catching the heartwarming moment the mom and daughter duo finally saw each other again.

With Jennifer and her family making the trip to Alabama, Jean planned on taking a trip to Idaho to see where her daughter grew up. Despite their time apart, both Jean and Jennifer know that this was just the beginning of a very special bond between mother and daughter.

Like how Jean and Jennifer reunited after 42 years, twins Jennifer Wilson and Kathleen Millns, who were separated at birth, reunited after 67 years. They both came on the show "Long Lost Family" to share their life stories and how they've spent their time together since finding one another again.