Madera mother and son meet for the first time in 49 years at Fresno airport

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Forty-nine years of emotion packed into one hug. A mother's longing entangled with a son's love.

"I had just about given up, and the adoption agency called me, told me that he put in and wanted to find me," said Talona Thurman, mother.

The story begins back in 1967, when Thurman was just 16.

"I knew that we had a bond, because I held him for 35 minutes, and I held him right here. I said our hearts are sealed."

For the next several decades Thurman never gave up hope-- her son, Scott Stanley, didn't either.

"I mean, I have my adopted mother and father, but I've always been curious about my mom, who she was, and where I came from."

"I wanted him to know, I wanted him to know why, I just wanted him to have stability in his life, I wanted him to have a mom and dad raise him," said Thurman.

It took until last Monday for an adoption agency to make a match.

"I knew that someday, either here or there, that we were going to meet," said Thurman.

On Friday, Fresno Yosemite International Airport became the scene of happy tears-- an uncanny resemblance and a newly reunited mother and son already finishing each other's sentences.