- I'm Alex Gilbert, and I spent the first two years of my life in a Russian orphanage. In 1994, I was adopted... - Sasha. - ...and brought to New Zealand. I had a great Kiwi childhood, but I couldn't help feeling like something was missing. So eight years ago, I set out to find my birth family. Privyet. - Hello. - It was the best decision of my life. - Hello. - (GROANS HAPPILY) And now I help others do the same. So how can I help? - I have tried look for family, and I've had no luck. - Do you have any memories from the orphanage? - No. Don't remember a single thing. - Countless people across the world just like me... want to reconnect with their missing families. - I'm really happy for her. - Welcome to St Petersburg. - (CHUCKLES) - It's more emotional than what I've ever considered. - Good luck. - (SOBS) - Join us on these amazing journeys as we cross continents to see families reunited. www.able.co.nz Copyright Able 2022 (GENTLE PIANO MUSIC) I'm on my way to Ottumwa, Iowa ` a small town here in the Midwest. It's home to Erin, who is looking for help to find her birth family. (MUSIC CONTINUES) - You think it's cold now? - Yeah. (LAUGHS) - It's not even close to Russia. - I know. - Erin was only seven months old when she was adopted from Siberia to Iowa. - I don't remember anything about my early life in Russia, just from photos, but other than that, just stories that my mom and my grandma have told me. My parents were both born in Russia, and I'm not sure if they're still in Russia or if they're still alive. I'm pretty sure that I do not have siblings. (SWELLING MUSIC) (INDISTINCT CHATTER) - I don't know. I just can't wait to go again. - Not that far ahead? - Germany was fun. 'Iowa was a great place to go up. It's a very safe, safe, safe town. 'Lots of friends and my family, basically ` being from such a small town, 'everybody becomes family at one point.' Honestly, like, so blessed that I ended up here and I'm healthy and happy. They have a lot of sheep and horses. I have a brother, Nick, and he was also adopted from the same orphanage as I was. - I don't have any memories growing up in Russia because I was only 2 and a half when I was adopted. - We're not blood siblings. - She has a sister ` normal sister; picked on me, I picked on her. - We get along and at the same time, we don't, and we do the sibling thing, you know? - We've been close our whole life. Feels like she's my best friend. - Erin and Nick have grown up in a loving and secure home thanks to the single minded determination of Moya Sheehy. - I decided to adopt children when I was 40 years old. An operation left Moya unable to have children of her own. - Being single, I knew it was a concern, but I knew it wasn't impossible because two of my friends had done it. I'm very strong-willed and not afraid to tackle anything. You guys` when I first told you I was going to adopt, you're going like, 'Are you crazy?!' Yeah. 'What are you thinking?! Think about this!' I didn't want to live my life without children. I remember Erin being in her room and standing in the crib and turning the light switch on and off, on and off, and Nick was like, 'Mom, tell her to stop it!' - My mom is amazing. - (LAUGHS) - If she sets her mind to it, she does it. If she wants it, she gets it. I get a lot of, like, who I am from my mom. (BOTH LAUGH) Like, her personality ` you can see it in me, and I love that. - When I contacted my agency, I got to pick out what I wanted ` brown hair, blue eyes, whatever. It was amazing. It was very weird to order ` pre-order. - Nine months later, Moya made the trip to an orphanage in Barnaul, Russia. - Erin Rose was seven months old when I met her. Just sitting up, not crawling yet. A little rosy cheeked little girl. - My mom said that she just held me, and then she knew it was me. - Nick came from the same orphanage. - He is two years older, is calmer, quieter, less adventurous. So that probably saved me that I didn't have two Erins. I had lived in this house by myself, my cat and I, and everything had a place and everything was in its place. And now I have two kids that have taken over my house and turned it upside down. (WARM GUITAR MUSIC) I've made it Ottumwa, and I'm about to meet Erin for the first time in person. Erin, hello. - Hi! - Hey, so nice to be here. - Nice to meet you. - Hey. So tell me a little bit about your story. - So, I was originally born in Barnaul, Russia. - And have you always had an interest in finding your birth family? Or was it just recently? - No, I've always had an interest, and I've always wanted to just try to just make some connections, whether it's brother, sister, mother, you know? - And what do you already know of your birth family? - Just my parents' names and where they're from. I don't know much about the present time, but I'd like to, for sure, learn more about them. - To expand on that information. - For sure. Yes, expand, kind of figure out where they are now, how they're doing, what life was before. - Have you always known you were adopted? - Yeah. My mom has always been so open with it ` like, since day one, 'Oh, you're adopted from Russia. You know, both you and Nick are both adopted.' - So are you proud of being Russian? - Yeah, for sure. Very proud about being from Russia and being adopted. I became very, like, driven for my Russian culture, probably when I was a junior in high school. I just kind of started doing more research about Russia, so I learnt the language more. For my senior photos, I have, like, the Russian flag with me. I guess high school is that time where you're trying to find yourself, and I guess that was a very big part. - So, tell me a little bit about your brother, Nick. So, he's from the same orphanage as you. Is he also interested in finding his birth family? - He's very interested into it now that I've started my journey into it. He's like, 'Let me get a little step in that,' so I think he thinks it's very cool that I actually took that step to go do it, and I think that now, that might actually throw him into the idea of trying to find his parents a little bit more. I'm totally supportive on it, for sure. He knows that he has siblings from` also the papers that we got back. And my mom has always told him that too ` like, 'Oh, you've had siblings. You know, you have siblings over in Russia.' - And he's supporting you with your search? - Yeah. - It would expand your family, wouldn't it? - For sure, yes. I still remember just, like, listening to your story, and it was, like, eye-opening enough for you to do it, and for me, that was like, 'OK, maybe it's my turn to find my parents.' - I really do hope I can help. - Me too. (PENSIVE PIANO MUSIC) (TENSE STRING MUSIC) - Back in New Zealand, for once, I have plenty of information to work with. And it's not long before I'm back in chilly Iowa with some momentous news for Erin. (MUSIC CONTINUES) - Hi, Alex! Come on in. - Thank you. I've got some good news. I have been able to find some family connections who are still in Barnaul. - That's exciting. (CHUCKLES) - You're going to go. - Yeah. - Next step is to obviously go there and find out who they are. - Yeah. - Because when you're there, that's when you get more information. I think that's what we need to do. Are you willing to come with me? (POIGNANT MUSIC) - Yeah. Oh, that's awesome. - I think we still have some Russian soap. (LAUGHTER) From the hotel that Mom brought us, and I was like, 'Oh, I still I still have that in my drawer.' - That would be so exciting. - It would be good. - Do you think you'd be able to locate any of Nick's family? - Let's give it a go. Are you willing to come with us to Barnaul? - 100%. - Yeah? - Yeah. I've always wanted to go. - We'll just try our best and see what we can find. You never know what can happen. So I'll start booking tickets, sorting out visas, and then the schedule, and then we'll be away. Come on. Big hug. - Man. Aww. - It's teamwork. It's teamwork. - It's Team Sheehy. Team Sheehy. - (CHUCKLES) (ENGINE RUMBLES) PHONE: You know, it's just freedom. You know, you just can't beat the feeling of gettin' a few smooth corners together. You're the one in control of your machine. (ENGINE RUMBLES IN BURSTS) You've gotta really own that control. - ERIN: I became very driven for my Russian culture. - ALEX: Erin hasn't seen her Russian homeland since she was seven months old. - I have a brother, Nick, and he was also adopted from the same orphanage. - I don't have any memories growing up in Russia because I was only 2-and-a-half when I was adopted. - Erin has reached out to me for help with finding their birth families in Siberia. Are you willing to come with me? - 100%. Yeah. - Yeah? - (SOBS) (GRAND STRING MUSIC) - The Russian city of Barnaul is where this story begins. I've located the orphanage where Erin and Nick both briefly lived, and now my researcher and translator, Vera, is helping me track down anyone with a connection to Erin or Nick. - (BOTH SPEAK IN RUSSIAN) - The family arrives from Iowa tomorrow. (BRIGHT MUSIC) - Hi, Alex. - Hi, Alex. - Good to see you three. Hello, Moya. - Good to see you. - Good to see you. So, Erin, you're here. How do you feel? - I am so happy, like, and I feel so comfortable here. My family is with me, and it's all happening, and I` like, I mean, I've made it. I had to wrap my head around that I'm actually in Russia. - Yeah. I mean, right here looks just like Iowa, besides the big buildings. - So all you three all together ` the trio. - We are The Three Musketeers. - It's a trio. Definitely. - Yeah, we're a very close-knit family. - It's good that your mum is here because she remembers so much. - She's going to remember everything. She is the storyteller, and we are, like, the ones who get to figure out what is going on, and so I just thought she'd come to. - Yeah. What about you, Nick? Back in Iowa, you're telling me, 'This is so important to me. I want to connect with Russia.' - I'm just trying to catch everything right now, and everything just comes slowly to me. - Do you think this will all make you feel more Russian? - I feel like, I don't know, stuff will hit me a lot more when I actually` if I meet my family. - Reality hasn't sunk in yet, I think. - Yeah. - Just got here. - I'm not like my mom and sister, meeting people. I'm more to myself and quiet. - My brother ` we just drag him along to come and he just comes and joins us, and it's been just like that for years, and I love it. - So what are you looking forward to while you're here? - Meeting my family, my blood family ` I really am. I've always wanted to see what they looked like. - And do you remember anything from when you 2? - No. - Nothing from the orphanage? - Just` No, nothing, which stinks, but I wish I did. - I'm the same, so I know the feeling. - Yeah. - But I think it will answer a lot of questions for all of us, and trip of a lifetime. - I just want to find myself deeper than I have. - I think a lot of people that` like, all of us who are adopted, we always have that` We've got that missing piece, right? - Yes. - I'm not threatened by that at all, as I'm sure your parents weren't either when you went looking. We'll just make it a bigger family. (ELEGANT STRING MUSIC) - While the family take in the sights and the shopping,... - I mean, this one's pretty, but that one's really pretty. - Yeah, this one's really pretty. Are we buying it for the bottle? - Yeah. (CHUCKLES) - Hi, Alex. - Good to see you. - Yes. - '...I catch up with Vera, who has exciting news about Nick.' - We found so much, and every hour, we found more and more and more. - Every hour? - Yes, every hour. - So let's start from the beginning. So, have we found Nick's birth mother? - Yeah. - We have? - Yes. - So we've found the birth mother. What about siblings? - Nick has a really big family. - Really big? How big? - Today in the morning, we found another two person, and day by day is more and more. We found, first of all, the sister. - So it's one sister so far. - When we found her, she was, I don't know, happiest girl in the world. I heard that through the phone. - With knowing about Nick? - Yes. Yes. Yes. We can call her. - Let's call her. - If you want. - Yeah. - Yeah. (SPEAKS IN RUSSIAN) - 'Nick's sister is keen to find out more.' That's great. So we're going to meet her today. It doesn't take long to find the address Nick's sister, Julia, has given us. (DOG BARKS) The last stop on the Sheehys' tour of Barnaul has huge significance for the family. - So, down that door is where we'd go in. You'd always come out in clothes that didn't fit you real good. - It's 20 years since Moya left this orphanage with the two infants that were to change her life. - (SOBS, SNIFFS) - And then upstairs is where you guys stayed in your classroom. - (ERIN SOBS) - Erin's crib, your little bouncy chair. - It's emotional. I didn't even have an idea of what it'd be like. - Then on the last day, they called us into the office and they had oranges and chocolate and champagne, and we all had a toast to you guys going to a better home. - Yeah. - I've always thanked my mom every year, every birthday, every holiday, every Mother's Day. Thank you for adopting me and I love you and I'm glad you adopted me. (GENTLE GUITAR MUSIC) (BIRD CAWS) - Next day, I sit down with Nick to let him know what we've found. Well, we've been here on the ground now, doing some research, and we have been in touch with your sister. - Oh. - And we have met her. - Yeah? - And she's willing to meet you as well. - Oh, sweet. - You'd like to meet her? - Yes. - And she's part of a really big family here. - Oh, wow. - And you're part of a big family, too. - Oh, sweet. - And she's willing to meet you. - Yeah. - You would like to` - Yeah, I'd like to meet her too. Yes. Yeah, I'm ready for anything, really. (SNICKERS) I just go with the flow and whatever happens happens. - We've also been in touch, and we have met your birth mother, who's also here. - Wow. (CHUCKLES) That's exciting. - And she would like to meet you as well today. - Wow. - What's going through your mind? - Uh, very excited. I actually get to meet my first mother and sister for the first time, and yeah, so many questions. - Now, your birth mother does struggle. - Mm-hm. - So it could be difficult today whether or not she's going to be there. - Yeah. - But she does want to meet you. - OK. - So I can only hope for the best. She may not show up. - Oh, wow. OK. - I needed to prepare Nick. His birth mother has not had an easy life, and meeting the son she gave up 20 years ago could be difficult for her. - You know, you protect them. You don't want them to get bad news, but you do sometimes. You know? So` And he is sensitive. At least I'm there to pick up the pieces. I can see what's happening. And if it doesn't go well, we can talk about it. (GENTLE PIANO MUSIC) - Adoptees Erin and Nick are in Siberia with me and mum Moya as we search for the birth families. - Hi, Alex! - Good to see you three. Hello, Moya. - Good to see you. - It's only day two, and I've just dropped a bombshell on Nick. We have met your birth mother, who's also here. - Wow. (CHUCKLES) That's exciting. - And she would like to meet you as well today. - Wow. (TENSE MUSIC) - So, how are you feeling? - Excited, little nervous, happy. - Happy. That's good. Well, why don't you take a seat? I'll be on the lookout. - OK. - And it's going to be all right. - Yep. - 'This is a huge day for Nick, and I'm really nervous.' - MOYA: Nick is kind of shell shocked. You know, like, 'Oh my gosh, I'm going to meet my mother.' Where Erin had anticipation for over a year that she was going to meet someone, he just kind of found out, like, 'There's somebody there that I'm going to meet.' - I think he is scared. I think we're all scared about what we're going to find. It's life-changing. - My heart was pounding, and I was looking everywhere for her, and I was like, 'Come on, Mom.' - I've been showing Nick much more confidence than I'm feeling. We've discovered his birth mother can be unpredictable, and I don't know if she'll even turn up. You know, it's just the waiting. - Yeah. We just need to wait. I'm just so nervous. - I mean, I'm... I'm really nervous, because... I just don't know how it's going to be. (TENSE AMBIENT MUSIC) Can you give her a call? - OK. - Please come. Please, he really needs this. I don't want him to get let down. I don't want him to get hurt. - (BOTH SPEAK IN RUSSIAN) - She's coming. She's coming. Just a couple of minutes. - I was so relieved. I took a breath when they said she's coming. So, (INHALES DEEPLY) OK. - There she is. (ALL SPEAK IN RUSSIAN) - (LAUGHS) Nick. (LAUGHS) (TENDER PIANO MUSIC) (SPEAKS IN RUSSIAN) - You look like your father. - Oh. - Nick. (SPEAKS IN RUSSIAN) - I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry, Nick. - She is just saying my name, Nick, and we hugged, and then she cried, and she sat down and she hugged some more and just wrapped her arms around me. - Typical Nick ` cautious. It wasn't a run, 'I missed you, Mommy, all my life.' It was a 'Hi. Um, nice to meet you.' Cautious. He's just not a touchy-feely verbalise guy. Kind of shy. - (SPEAKS IN RUSSIAN) - But I have to hug my birth mom at least once in my life. (CHUCKLES) - (SPEAKS IN RUSSIAN) - VERA: You were so beautiful. When her daughter showed her your photo, she said, 'It is exactly like a father.' - (SPEAKS IN RUSSIAN) - You have a really, really pretty sister. You have a really beautiful sister. - (SPEAKS IN RUSSIAN) - All of my kids is beautiful. - Well, we all got it from the mom. - Thank you so much that you found me. - She showed a lot of emotion because she loves me, and she wants to see me safe and healthy throughout my whole life, and she's just thankful that she at least met me. - Where is your American mama? - Would you like to meet her? - Thank you so much, uh,... You adopted my kids. - We share. We share. - Thank you so much. - You're welcome. - (SPEAKS IN RUSSIAN) - I just wanted to meet him ` that's all. I just wanted to meet him. - Well, now you know he's alive and healthy. - My birth mom kept saying, 'I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so stupid to let you go.' And I said, 'It's not your fault. Things happen. It's OK.' And I really want to come back here in a couple of years or whenever and come visit her and my family again. - This trip is already momentous for Nick, and he has more family waiting to meet him tomorrow. In the meantime, we've had a breakthrough in the search for Erin's birth family. (SPEAKS IN RUSSIAN) 'We've found Erin's birth sister Ilona, and she's agreed to meet.' Ilona, it's very nice to meet you today. Can you please tell me a little bit about yourself? - (SPEAKS IN RUSSIAN) - Until her 6, she was living with mom. - (SPEAKS IN RUSSIAN) - She lived with her great-grandparents. And then after, she moved to orphanage? Yeah? - Da. - Da? - Da. - So how much involvement did your mum have in your life after the age 6? What do you remember about Erin? - (SPEAKS IN RUSSIAN) - So we've brought Erin here to help her find her family here in Russia, and we're wondering if you'd like to meet her. (BOTH LAUGH) I know Erin won't want to wait to hear this news. (PENSIVE ELECTRONIC MUSIC) Hello, hello. - Hi! - How are you three? - Good. - So, Erin, I have an update for you. - Mm-hmm? - Now, in regards to your birth mother, I can confirm that she's no longer alive. She died about 10 years ago. She passed away. - That was hard ` finding out that my mom has passed away. Kind of in the grieving point now. It's hard. I have a hard time thinking about it. - At the moment, we haven't been able to find anything on your birth father. - Mm-hmm. - Because the name on your record does not match with anybody. - Really? - Anybody that's alive or anybody that we know of. - Wow. - The good news is we have been able to track down a sister of yours. - Really? - Yes. - Oh my gosh, that's crazy. My whole life, I thought I was an only child. Oh my God. (CHUCKLES) My whole life, my mom was always like, 'Nick has family and you're an only child.' So... - That's what we thought! - That's all we knew. - You always` - Always thought that. To find out that I had a sister here, living in Russia, was spectacular news. - And she's really excited to meet you. - Really? - Yes. - Wow. - (LAUGHS) Wow. - OK. I feel, like... 'It's been a long road here.' Yeah, it's... It's real. It's coming. - First think tomorrow. - Erin! - You're not going to sleep tonight. - I'm not! Oh, God. - Oh my God! - Erin and Nick have grown up together as siblings. Now, they both get the chance to meet their blood sisters, and nothing in their lives will be quite the same. Adopted siblings Erin and Nick from Iowa have big changes ahead. We have been in touch with your sister. - Oh, sweet. - You'd like to meet her? - Yes. - The good news is we have been able to track down a sister of yours, and she's really excited to meet you. - Really? - Yes. - Wow. - It's just so cool, like, to find out that I have a sister, but I want to know a lot about Mom. I want to know what she looks like. I want to know if I look like her. I want to know how she, like, lived. When I was younger, I wrote her a letter, and it was like, 'If I was to ever meet you, (SOBS) I'd just want you to know I'm doing well.' - I'm very proud of Erin. She has accomplished a lot in her life. She has a lot of questions about Russia and her family, and why. - Erin will soon get a chance to ask those questions. But right now, it's Nick who's on tenterhooks waiting for his birth sister. - Oh, I see little kids. I think she's bringing her` - She's bringing her kids. - Is she really? - Uh-Huh. - Yeah. - Hi! - (SPEAKS IN RUSSIAN) - Oh! - When I first saw her face, I was like, 'Yeah, this is my sister.' - So Nick is their uncle? - I've never been an uncle before. - Yeah! - (VERA SPEAKS IN RUSSIAN) - I have five nephews. That's a lot more than I expected. - They look same. - Yes, they do! - (SPEAKS IN RUSSIAN) - Like, wow, and he does look like you. - The kids were excited to see me. They knew who I was. I was the uncle for the first time. I just want to stay connected with all of them. - (SPEAKS IN RUSSIAN) - This trip is transforming Nick's interest in his birth family. But finding a connection to Russia has always been important for Erin. - Since about her junior year of school, she's really been searching. It is going to complete her circle. It's going to be the empty pieces she didn't know about. - Are you ready to go and meet your sister? - Yes. - She's ready to meet you. - OK. - She's just down there by the beach. She's waiting. So, in your own time... - (SIGHS) - I'm really nervous for her. (POIGNANT PIANO MUSIC) - (GASPS, LAUGHS) (SQUEALS) Come here! Oh my goodness! (EXCLAIMS) (MUSIC CONTINUES) (EXHALES HEAVILY) - Let's go. - OK. - Ah! - She was so worried, she didn't sleep three nights. - Oh my goodness! - Yes, yes. For her, it's so important. She want to catch you to home. - Oh, really? (LAUGHS) - Forever. - (LAUGHS) - Exactly the same. - I know! (BOTH LAUGH) I know! Oh! - Exactly like your mother. - (SOBS) (SWELLING STRING MUSIC) - (SNIFFS) (BOTH GASP HEAVILY) - And is she` - Is that you? Yes! - She is 4 years old. - Aw! - You see? - Mm-hmm. It's so sweet. That's my sister. She gave me a picture of our mom. (SNIFFS) (SOBS) She said I look a lot like her. (SIGHS) (LAUGHS) - So happy to see you. - Um, my brother. - Brother? - My brother, yes. (LAUGHS) (LAUGHTER) - VERA: He's so big. - I know, yeah. He's from here too. - Thank you so much. Thank you so much for you your daughter, and you care about her. - Oh, thank you. Yeah, we love her. - (LAUGHS) And, like, I have an older sister who's... You know, she has stories that she can tell me, and she has a life she can tell me about, and it's just amazing that I get to learn more and more about my Russian side. - Now we have a bigger family. - Yeah. Oh, da, da, da, da, da. - It was nice to see Erin felt safe with her, and that it was meant to be. - Did you always know about me? - (SPEAKS IN RUSSIAN) - Da. - Yeah? - Da. Da. - Yeah. I didn't know about you. What can you tell me about our mom? Was she a good mom? - (CHUCKLES, SPEAKS IN RUSSIAN) - She was funny. - How did she pass? - (SIGHS) - How your mom's death ` it's really tragic, uh,... - Event? Yeah. - And he, like, killed her. - TEARFULLY: You don't want to think of your mom passing away like that, in such a terrible way. - (SPEAKS IN RUSSIAN) - She is absolutely adorable, super sweet. You know, and super generous and kind, and it was really nice to like, sit and talk to her and be like, 'Wow, like, I'm sitting next to my sister,' you know? - (SIGHS) - (LAUGHS) (SIGHS) - Today has been a roller-coaster of emotions for Erin. The dreadful news of her birth mother will take time to process, but she's fulfilled her dream of finding her Russian family. And with you, Nick, we do have an update about your family in Russia. - Oh, wow. Really? - They live out west. So would you like to go tomorrow? - Yes. (CHUCKLES) - Oh, yes! - Wow. I did not expect that. We're going to go meet my aunt. That's my dad's sister. - Ooh, Nick! - Lincoln. - Callum. - What a lovely coincidence. - What are you specimens up to? - Gentlemen. ('WESTERN MOVIE' MUSIC) - Darryl and Broccoli Rob are here. - I'm a Sagittarius, I think! (HORN TOOTS) - Don't do that. - Haven't seen you in a minute. How you been? (CHATTER) (CHATTER FADES) - All right. - Bye-bye. - Toodle-pip. (ALL SAY FAREWELL) The next season of your favourite series, the next costume drama... or catchin' up with the girls. The next 90 minutes... or the final over. The next instalment of Halo. The next drive of your life. Or maybe it's seeing your granddaughter. (TENSE BASS MUSIC) - We are heading west of Barnaul to meet Nick's aunt. This is the first real lead we've had in the search for Nick's birth father. - I'm nervous and I'm excited. I really want to see my dad the most, because I want to see how he looks, and if he knows me. (GROUP SPEAK IN RUSSIAN) - Nick. - Hi, guys. - (SPEAKS IN RUSSIAN) - Hello. Hello, Nick. I am your aunt. - (SPEAKS IN RUSSIAN) - My name is Sveta. - (SPEAKS IN RUSSIAN) - This is my daughter. - My name is Darcel. - She's a sister of your father. Yeah, Nick. (LAUGHS) - My aunt's reaction was a hug, and 'I can't believe you're alive and doing well,' and yeah. - Yes. This is Moya. (SPEAKS IN RUSSIAN) (ALL SPEAK IN RUSSIAN) - Hi! Oh! - I met my other cousin, which is her daughter. (ALL SPEAK IN RUSSIAN) - She's cold. Ah! - And she has kids, so I have more nephews. - Meeting all this new family is a lot for Nick to take in. But it's news of his birth father he really wants to hear. - Uh-huh. She's older than him ` three years older. Now he's 52 years old. Yeah. Yeah. - MOYA: 52? - 52. It's pretty young guy, yeah? You know? - Yes, it is. - She pulled out these old black and white photos of Nick's father when he was younger. - Did you want to` Do you think he looks like you? - Yeah, sort of. - Yeah? - The first photo of my dad was an army photo, and I think it looked similar to me. It was exciting to see his face for the first time. - This is, um, my brother and I. Yeah? Together. - MOYA: It's a brother and sister. - And what does it look like? What do you think? Tell me something, please. (CHUCKLES) - She says you have the nose. (LAUGHS) - Dark eyes? (SPEAKS IN RUSSIAN) Da. His, uh,... You know, his hair. - Nick's hair, when he was younger, used to be really poofy and curly, and there's a photo of his dad that had the same thing. It was unbelievable. - Both of them is... Yeah. They have the same curly hair. (SPEAKS IN RUSSIAN) - When she looked at me, she said I look just like the rest of the family, and I agreed. - MOYA: This is the first time you've ever seen your father, you know? - Yeah. Hopefully my head doesn't go like that. (CHUCKLES) - You already have this, you know... - Oh, yeah. - Yeah! We wondered where it came from. - The way to lose it. Yes. - He used to have lots of hair like this, and now... - Yeah. - Now that's` yeah. - Because you just have this picture in your mind your whole life of, 'What can my father look at? What does my mother look like?' And he finally, right there in that moment, has confirmation of what he looks like, and so I think he was just thrilled. - Look at how serious he is, and that's... Maybe that's where you get your serious side. - He didn't know he have a child, he have a son. Mm-hmm. 'If I knew that, of course, we adopt... 'we adopt him by our family.' - Great. I don't know if Nick realised how important that was ` he was wanted. When did she find out about Nick? How long ago? And the dad, how` - When we came. - What a shock. - Mm-hmm. Exactly in this moment, he was married with a woman with whom he living now. And for her, it was like a new information about their life, you know? - Can he imagine the Russian flying? - Would he like to meet me? - He waited our call ` video call. We can call him. - I could see Nick get nervous right away. - It'd be nice to see his face just for a minute or two on video call. - You always wanted to meet your father, and this is really good. - (SIGHS) Well... I mean, I have no choice, but yeah, I am ready. I've waited all this long, so I'm like, 'Well, it's never going to happen unless I actually want to happen.' - Yeah, this is the... - Privyet! Privyet. Privyet. Let's go a little bit closer. (ALL TALK OVER EACH OTHER) Just a little bit closer. - See if I can see it. - Yeah. Yeah, hold it up to the... - Oh, yeah. (ALL LAUGH) (ALL LAUGH) - It was like, you know, the fire between both of them. That's all. And you are the child of this fire. - Love child. Love child, we call 'em. (CHUCKLES) - Tell him I've always wanted to meet my father my whole life, because I've never had a father. - I was dreaming about to have a son all my life, guys. - That's good. - Yeah. Yeah. That's what Nick needed to hear, you know? He told me (SNIFFS), 'I've got a mom that wants me and a dad that wants me.' So, uh,... Boy, that just... filled him up. - Eto mama Nick, Moya. Hello. - Hello! - Hello, Moya. - Nice to meet you. - Uh-huh. He... He wants to touch him. He want to meet with him. - Dad didn't know about me, and when he knew about me, he was very happy. A big relief, and I'll be able to keep in contact with him, and I know one day we're going to go fishing, like he wants. Feels nice to have a dad that's alive and well and happy. - If his sister Erin hadn't been so determined to find her own roots,... - (SQUEALS SOFTLY) - ...Nick might have never started on this incredible journey. - (WOMAN LAUGHS) - I am very proud of my sister. I'm glad she found Alex to contact, and I got to accomplish a lot in my life and a lot of questions have been asked and answered. - I'm still going home to be Mom and everything, but their lives will never be the same ` never, which is... good. (SOMBRE PIANO MUSIC) - There's one final trip before the family heads back to Iowa. - What do you know? It's a calm, nice place. - It's beautiful. - It's beautiful. - (SOBS) - And she's somewhere here. - (SNIFFLES, SOBS) - Erin needs to say goodbye to her birth mother. (TENDER MUSIC) - I found my mom's grave. Lay some flowers there and sat down next to it. Cried. Mourned. (BIRDS TWITTER SOFTLY) Told her I was sorry. - You never know how these journeys will turn out. Erin didn't get to meet the mother she's always dreamed of, but she did connect with a sister who wants her in her life. - Erin took it hard about her mother, but she knows, and, um,... But she has a sister. - It's still unbelievable that it's happened, that I've met her, that we've hugged. I really just want to stay in touch. - It will take Nick some time to process everything he's learnt this trip, but he now has the father figure he's always wanted. - It feels amazing. When I come back, I'll just visit them all. - They're both talking about coming back to Barnaul. - Absolutely life-changing, you know? You finally get that piece back of you that you've wondered forever. - Both want to learn Russian. So their life is not going to be just about them now. (MUSIC FADES) - # Sing hallelujah, people. # Oh my Lord! # - My name is Alexandra Ana Elizabeth Calhoun. - Only child Ana from Alabama... - (VOCALISES) - She's a loving person. She sees the best in everybody. - ...finds she's not alone after all... We have found either a brother or sister, though. - Oh my gosh! Oh, yes! - I love you, baby. - ...as she pursues her childhood dream. I am really nervous for her.