Adopted woman wrote book to say goodbye to her 'late' birth mom. 25 years later, a phone call changed her life

Even after being raised in the most nurturing environment by wonderful adoptive parents, some individuals might still want to find their biological roots, and it's completely natural. The strong desire doesn't arise because they don't get enough love; rather, it's because they simply want to unravel their true identity. While many don't ever get the opportunity to meet their biological family, only a few fortunate ones get to experience the life-changing moment. Stefany Valentine, author of "First Love Language," too, was among those who met her real mother, Meiling Valentine, for the first time in over two decades, as reported by PEOPLE.

Stefany, long after she had lost all her hopes about ever reuniting with her mother, unexpectedly met Meiling for the first time in 25 years at the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in August 2024. Stefany, talking to the outlet, also revealed how a beautiful coincidence brought them back together, just when she had started fearing that her mother might no longer be alive. "I was wondering if I would recognize her in a crowd, and I did. It was just so good to hug her for the first time. I needed that hug," she shared.  Stefany met her mother, Meiling, while she was working on her debut novel, which, interestingly, revolves around Catie, a Taiwanese-American teen and adoptee desiring a connection with her roots.

Born to Meiling and Lt. Col. Todd Merrill Valentine, Stefany was one of their 5 children. Everything was great until her parents separated, and Stefany's custody was granted to her father. Eventually, Stefany lost all contact with her mother, but her strong desire to reunite with her never died. During her parents' divorce, Meiling shared that she tried to look around for someone who could help her, but since she was financially unstable, Stefany, who was just 5 then, went with her ex-husband. Further, the author revealed that while growing up, she was fed the wrong narrative about her biological mother — that she was dangerous and someone who neglected her children. "I think that was another cultural divide because I don't remember feeling neglected in Taiwan," Stefany revealed.

When Stefany turned 8, her father remarried Cindy, who eventually adopted her and her siblings after Todd passed away from colon cancer. However, things began going downhill soon after, as her relationship with her stepmother began to fall off. "I was kicked out of my house for speaking out of turn, speaking my mind, and everything," Stefany revealed. She tried every possible way to reconnect with her biological mother, but nothing worked. Stefany even looked into genealogy and historical records, and many psychics indicated that Meiling had died. In 2023, finally, she received a call from her sister-in-law that changed her life forever.

Stefany was informed that there was a Taiwanese lady who grew up with her mother and could possibly help find her. Initially, she reconnected with Meiling through text, and it was surprisingly Cindy, her stepmom, who facilitated Stefany's trip to Taiwan. "The first time I saw Stefany at the airport, I was shocked because she was no longer the cute little girl I often dreamed of. She had grown up and looked so much like me, which touched me," Meiling recalled. At present, both mother and daughter are making up for the time lost by taking multiple trips and enjoying life together.

For more updates, you can follow Stefany Valentine Ramirez on @booksbystefany on Instagram.