A BUCKINGHAMSHIRE woman submitted her DNA and found out she had an entire family in Canada - and tracked down her long-lost mum.
Laura Mclean, 32 from Milton Keynes was put up for adoption as a baby in 1990 by her mum Janine Henderson, 50, who wanted a better life for her.
Laura grew up knowing she was adopted - but didn't know her birth mum's name, age or location.
She started to look for Janine last year and submitted a DNA sample to 23andMe after endless searches on google and Facebook provided no answers.
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Two months after sending off her sample she got an email to say she'd been matched with a "half-sister" in Canada.
Actually, the match was her aunt Leanne MacDonald, 35, who emailed to say: "We have been looking for you for years."
Within days she was Facetiming her mum Janine in an emotional video call, and they met for the first time in three decades in September 2022.
Laura said: "I went through a washer machine of emotion.
"I didn't know what I was missing until I connected with my biological family.
Janine, a mum of two from Brampton, Ontario, Canada, added: "The last time I saw her she was a baby and to see her as this young beautiful woman - I am not sure I can describe it.
"I tell Laura all the time, my words haven't caught up with my emotions yet.
"My family felt complete."
Janine said she put Laura up for adoption because she wanted Laura to have a better life.
Laura said: "I have always known I was adopted, it was never a taboo subject - my family are very supportive.
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"The website told me she was my half-sister at first, an email came into my inbox saying 'Hi Laura, I am your aunt, we have been looking for you for years'.
"I remember that day, the day my life changed, the email dropped into my inbox and nothing was the same."
After the successful two-week trip, Laura phoned Janine's husband, Steven Henderson, 59, and told him she wanted to jump out of a box as a Christmas present.
She flew back to do that on December 22, 2022
She said: "I couldn't stop laughing. I couldn't wait to see her face.
"When I jumped out, she was in shock - we immediately burst into tears."
Talking about having Laura back in her life, Janine said: "My family feels complete, it was an amazing experience.
"She fit into the dynamics of the family with no problem, I can't say how grateful I am to have this opportunity and I am not wasting a minute of it".
Laura and Janine both Facetime once a week and are planning a UK reunion soon.
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