Junior Kyrie Bair went home in May after finals were over to receive what she thought was going to be news about a possible promotion for her mother, Tina Curran.

Instead of rejoicing over careers, the two rejoiced over something much different.

Bair’s biological sister, Rosie Arvoy, was choosing to reconnect with her birth-family.

Curran said she gave birth to Arvoy 26 years ago at just 17 years of age and while she was alone at home. Her parents had no knowledge of the pregnancy or of Arvoy until recently.

The same day Arvoy was born, Curran’s boyfriend took the baby to a hospital in Lawrence, where a doctor and his wife adopted her.

“It was extremely hard to keep this secret from Kyrie, but when I told Kyrie about Rosie, I explained that I kept it to myself to protect Rosie’s privacy,” Curran said. “But now, it’s just amazing to see Kyrie and Rosie start to connect and develop a sisterly bond that will never be broken.”

A few years after she was adopted, Arvoy and her family moved to Wisconsin and lost touch with Curran.

It wasn’t until last spring that Bair’s family heard from Arvoy since her birth.

Arvoy’s adoptive mother contacted Bair through her student email and said she was trying to get in touch with Curran.

Bair said she didn’t think anything of it, it was just a person looking to contact her mom and that was it.

When Bair forwarded the email to her mom, and Curran knew exactly who the woman was that sent the message.

“It worried me. I thought something was wrong with Rosie because there hadn’t been contact in so many years after we gave up that right to visit and have contact,” Curran said.

Curran waited to tell Bair about her biological sister until after the school year was over.

Bair met Arvoy less than a week after learning she was not an only child.

“Meeting Tina … and Kyrie for the first time took my breath away,” Arvoy said via email. “I felt very nervous when I was walking up to the house. As soon as I saw Tina and Kyrie on the porch though, all of my concerns disappeared, and all I felt was loved, like I was coming home after a lifetime away.”

Both Bair and Arvoy were instantly proud to know they had a sister.

Arvoy said via email she could not believe how much Bair and herself looked alike and how much they had in common. She said she is still in awe of Bair.

During the visit, the two sisters started realizing right away the similarities they have in common, such as the type of music they listen to, hatred of pickles and bananas, a love of dinosaurs and a love for animals in general.

“We went to Rosie’s wedding in Wisconsin in the middle of June,” Bair said. “Since then we have been one big family.”

Arvoy recently moved to Scotland to attend veterinarian school, which limits communication between the families to Facebook .

“I can’t even really begin to explain what it’s like to learn that you have sister,” Arvoy said. “I just feel so blessed that mine is so amazing.”

The sisters and Curran talk on a regular basis.

Bair said regardless of the communication limitations, the two families are now one big family forever.