Girl Reunites with Birth Parents After 28 Years of Cross-Border Search! Birth Parents Reveal Father's Parents Gave Her Away After Birth, Filled with Guilt for Years

On the morning of March 14th, in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, girl Hong Yangli finally reunited with her biological parents after being separated for 28 years, accompanied by volunteer searchers. Her mother recognized her at first glance, tears instantly streaming down her face, and she quickly embraced her tightly. All the longing and concern accumulated over 28 years transformed into hot tears in that moment.

▲Hong Yangli and her mother embrace, tears flowing

Hong Yangli’s family members and volunteer searchers told Red Star News that Hong Yangli was born in 1998. She was abandoned shortly after birth and was later found by police and taken to a social welfare institute. At age two, she was adopted by a Dutch couple and raised abroad. Her parents said that her grandfather secretly took her away and abandoned her. When they learned the truth, they searched for many years but found no clues, feeling full of guilt and regret. In 2024, Hong Yangli began a cross-border search. After three DNA comparisons and with the help of police, volunteers, and media, she finally reunited with her family after 28 years apart.

Biological Parents:

Separation from family is a long-standing regret

Hong Yangli was born on November 5, 1998. According to records from the welfare institute, she was abandoned on November 7, 1998, at No. 56 Ganjiang Road, Nanchang City. She was discovered by police from Nanchang Yangtze River Police Station and taken to Nanchang Social Welfare Institute. She lived there until she was over two years old, then was adopted by a Dutch couple and raised in the Netherlands.

Her biological mother said in an interview that her grandfather took the baby girl away and abandoned her without their knowledge. Her biological father also stated that at the time, there were already two children in the family, and they did not abandon her voluntarily. After learning of her disappearance, they searched for many years but never received any concrete clues. Her mother mentioned that this incident caused her to have long-standing estrangement from her elders, and the separation from her child became a source of guilt and regret for the family.

In the Netherlands, Hong Yangli integrated into local life, and her foster parents cared for her with love. As an adult, she often considered searching for her roots. She had attempted to find her family twice before but was hindered by limited personal information and cross-border communication difficulties. In December 2024, with her foster parents’ support, she contacted volunteer searchers and resumed her search. This time, volunteer Gao Yang assisted throughout the process. Gao Yang himself was adopted abroad and successfully reunited with his family, familiar with the search process and DNA comparison work.

▲Hong Yangli records a video to find her family

Gao Yang told Red Star News that in December 2024, Hong Yangli registered her search information. He collected her blood sample on-site, compiled clues such as her birth date, discovery location, and welfare institute records, and coordinated to input her data into the DNA database. Due to limited early personal information, the search was challenging. Volunteers visited Nanchang to speak with police officers and welfare staff from that year, verify the abandonment site and timeline, and piece together possible family details.

Volunteers:

Three DNA comparisons led to family reunion after 28 years

The volunteer searcher explained that Hong Yangli’s blood samples underwent three DNA comparisons during the process. The first two comparisons did not match any relatives, and the clues temporarily stalled. But the volunteer did not give up. While comforting Hong Yangli emotionally, they expanded the search scope. In July 2025, through police DNA database comparison, her blood sample matched closely with that of a couple in Nanchang. After re-verification, it was confirmed that they were her biological parents.

Subsequently, the volunteer contacted Hong Yangli’s biological parents. “Her father’s surname is Xu, and her mother’s surname is Yang,” the volunteer recalled. Mr. and Mrs. Xu recounted the story. Their daughter was born on November 5, 1998, and they had two other children. When she was born, Mr. Xu was away working in another city. Due to old-fashioned thinking, her grandfather abandoned her right after birth. The grandfather told them only that they should take the child back to their hometown, but unexpectedly, he abandoned her. When abandoning the child, the grandfather left a 120 yuan bill, a bag of milk powder, and a note with her birthday written on it.

In August 2025, Gao Yang informed Hong Yangli of the successful DNA match. She was overwhelmed with emotion and immediately had her first video call with her biological parents. During the call, her mother recognized her at once, noting her strong resemblance to the family. After years of longing, she finally received a response. Her parents were tearful on camera, repeatedly expressing their longing for her and hoping for an early family reunion.

▲Hong Yangli cannot hold back tears when seeing her family photos for the first time

On March 12, 2026, Hong Yangli departed from the Netherlands and arrived in Nanchang after a long flight, finally returning to her birthplace after 28 years. She said in an interview that her feelings were complex—nervous yet full of anticipation. She hoped to learn more about her hometown and family, and to make up for the years of separation. Since she does not speak Chinese, Gao Yang accompanied her during her return to Nanchang, assisting with translation and communication throughout.

▲Volunteer Gao Yang accompanies Hong Yangli during her reunion

On March 14th, the reunion scene was deeply moving. Her mother recognized her immediately, tears flowing freely as she rushed forward to embrace her tightly. Her father prepared a gold bracelet and new clothes for her, full of love. By noon, the family finally enjoyed the long-awaited reunion meal. Currently, Hong Yangli is gradually learning about her hometown culture and reconnecting with the missing years of family love.

▲Hong Yangli and her mother

Red Star News Reporter Jiang Long Photos from interviewees