A couple in Weinan, Shaanxi, China, has been reunited with their son, who was given away by his paternal grandmother as a child 37 years ago. The reunion took place in the man’s birth city of Weinan on Aug. 3, according to Jiupai News.

• What happened: Born in 1986, the man, now known by his surname Pang, was just a day old when his grandmother, without the consent or knowledge of his parents, gave him to a man surnamed Zhao to be raised by his family. The grandmother later claimed that she did this because she believed it would be difficult for the couple to raise a third child. It is unclear how much money, if any, the grandmother received from Zhao. After her death, Pang’s biological father, Li, and his wife spent three decades searching for Pang, whom they believed was living with Zhao in Shandong province.
• The reunion: Good news came in February when Li and his wife’s blood were matched to Pang’s, which had been included in a DNA database established by the Ministry of Public Security in 2009 to help reunite families. With the help of officers, they were eventually reunited. During the meeting, the tearful couple hugged Pang and said, “Son, dad and mum are sorry for you. How has your life been all these years?”