A Palmerston North farmer has finally been reunited with her sisters and birth mother decades after she was adopted from a Romanian hospital by her Kiwi parents.
Rosie Farrier, 31, was reunited with her family during filming for the latest episode of David Lomas Investigates, which aired on Wednesday night on Three.
Farrier, who owns a farm with her husband, was adopted by her parents from a Romanian hospital in the 1990s when she was just 15 months old. At the time she was very sick and her birth parents, who already had several other children, thought giving her to the Kiwi couple would give her the best chance for a happy life.
Farrier said she's had a lovely life in New Zealand but after she became a mother a few years ago, she began thinking about her birth family more.
She said she wanted to finally meet her birth parents and siblings so she could see where she came from.
"It would be really interesting to see where I came from and to see my birth parents and I've got brothers and sisters so it would be really interesting to know who they are," she said.
She also wanted to thank her birth parents for making the tough decision of allowing her to be adopted.
"I would say thank you very much for giving me the opportunity to have a good life in New Zealand. It's been an amazing life and I have been very lucky. I've been able to live in the outdoors and on a farm and I've got two children of my own now and I am married and happy. I couldn't ask for more," she told Lomas.
Her mother, Karen Aitkenhead, said she kept in touch with her birth parents for several years after the adoption but when her husband Brett, Farrier's adoptive father, died, they lost touch.
Aitkenhead was very supportive of her daughter meeting her birth family, saying she hoped it answered some questions for her.
"I am absolutely happy about it [her search for her birth family]. Who knows it might be nice for her to find out where she comes from, it might help fill some pieces in a puzzle. I think it's a wonderful thing and I think it will be wonderful for the parents to see she has had a good life, she's happy," she said.
So decades after she was adopted, Farrier turned to Lomas to track down her birth family. Working with a Romanian history expert, Lomas managed to find Farrier's mother Dorina Horga and sisters Christina Titeica and Daniella. They were still living in the same village where Farrier lived before being adopted.
Farrier and her mother flew over to Romania where she was finally reunited with her family.
She met her sister Titeica first and the pair shared a long hug, filled with tears.
"It was very emotional. I've never had a hug like it," Farrier said.
And her delight was shared by her sister who said she still couldn't believe it was her.
"You're my sister," Titeica exclaimed. "I love you".
Farrier also shared a hug with her birth mother who had always wondered what happened to her little girl.
"I never thought I would see you again," Horga exclaimed.
Horga also thanked Aitkenhead for raising Farrier and giving her a good life.
"Thank you so much for raising her and taking care of her."
Aitkenhead thanked Horga right back for allowing her to raise Horga.
Sadly Farrier's birth father died six years ago but Horga said he always wondered about her.
For Farrier, it was nice to finally tell her birth mother she had a good life.
"It was so nice to see her and let her know I have had a nice life in New Zealand," she said.
Watch the full episode of David Lomas Investigates at ThreeNow. The next episode airs at 8:30pm next Wednesday on Three.
