SACO, Maine (WHDH) — on Christmas Day twenty seven years ago a young mother living under difficult circumstances, gave birth to a girl.
"To me it was like I was given a gift. A gift that I was able to give to somebody else,” Alice Gagne said.
Gagne gave up her daughter for closed adoption and wrote a letter to the new parents, hoping to explain her decision to her daughter someday.
"I would love to keep her but I'm only 17 years old and I don't think I am mature enough. Every year on Christmas I will wonder what she looks like. I bet she will be beautiful,” she said.
Gagne would see just how beautiful her daughter became, 27 years later to the day.
Amanda received the letter from her birth mom when she was 16-years-old.
Then Gagne used an online service to track Amanda down this year which has kept them in contact for some time.
This year Amanda made secret plans with her half sister to surprise their mom on Christmas Day.
"I'm thankful for you giving me to the great people and that everything turned out the way it did. And I love you, don't cry. I love you too,” Amanda said.
Gagne says this year's Christmas gift will be hard to top.
She and her daughter are now making plans for their families to meet.