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Roy man reunites with birth mother after 36 years

Posted at 11:42 AM, Nov 23, 2012
and last updated 2012-11-24 02:50:47-05

A Roy man is about to enjoy spending the holidays with his mother for the first time in over three decades.

John Harper was given up for adoption 36 years ago, when he was one year old. Since he turned 18, he has been looking for his birth mother, Cecelia Higgins. Higgins had been looking for him too.

"I'm sorry it took so long to find you, but you're a hard man to find," Higgins said to Harper as they were reunited at the Salt Lake City International Airport Friday afternoon.

Higgins once hired a private detective in an attempt to locate Harper, but it was ultimately social media that led to their reunion Friday.

A Google search first revealed Harper's biological father's phone number. A posting on his father's Facebook page led to his mother.

Harper has previously met his biological father and his biological brother.

Higgins also met her granddaughter for the first time Friday. After being picked up from the airport, she attended the little girl's birthday party.