Salinas (California) - No, it's never been a secret in all these years. Kristy Moore (36) was adopted by a white US family in Salinas, California, but is 75 percent Filipina herself. Her adoptive parents therefore played with open cards from the very beginning. Moore had a handwritten letter from her mother and some photos. However, the woman never felt the need to get to know her. But then there was an event that changed everything.

Speaking to Newsweek this week, Moore said of her mother: "She always respected that I wasn't ready to meet her or have a relationship with her."

Six years ago, however, she contacted her via social media. "But we didn't talk much," explained Moore.

But when the coronavirus pandemic was in full swing, she found out that her biological grandfather had died. That's when it suddenly clicked for the Californian.

"I realized that I wanted to get to know her and my biological family while I still had the chance," Moore told the US magazine.

Eventually, they had their first meeting.

At the beginning of January, Moore, who has two daughters, flew to Arizona with her family to spend three days with her birth mother.

"I had a lot of difficulty leading up to the trip - not because I was nervous or anxious, but because I didn't know exactly how I felt. I knew how impactful this moment would be, and that was a lot to take in," says Moore.

The first encounter was captured on video and can be viewed on the 36-year-old's Instagram page. It shows her mother, who is only 15 years older than her, hugging her tightly.

"When we finally met, I was ready to let her hug me and hold me for as long as she needed. As a mother of two girls, I can't imagine what it would feel like to hold her for the first time in 36 years," Moore admitted to Newsweek.

Moore hasn't regretted her late decision to meet her mother and her family for a second. Everyone was immediately in family mode. Now they never want to break off contact.