Emotional scene for adopted actress as she meets her father for the first time in 40 years after tracking him down on DNA website

• Carla Orlandi and Gary Erbe had been searching for each other for decades
• Ancestry.com helped actress find her family through home-testing kit

By Jessica Jerreat

Published: 17:11 EDT, 18 July 2014 | Updated: 18:23 EDT, 18 July 2014

California actress Carla Orlandi was able to hug her father for the first time in her life on Wednesday thanks to the help of a DNA website that helped her trace her biological family.

Orlandi, who was born in Puerto Rico, had no details or memories of her parents but she never stopped looking for them.

The actress, who has appeared in TV series CSI, found her father Gary Erbe, after adding her DNA information to the ancestry.com website. 

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Reunited: Actress Carla Orlandi and her biological father Gary Erbe, pictured on Wednesday moments after meeting for the first time

Emotional: Erbe hugs his daughter Orlandi as the pair finally get to meet after a decades' long search

Father and daughter had spoken a couple of times on the phone since finding each other, but they met for the first time in San Diego.

In an emotional reunion, the pair hugged each other tight as Erbe arrived at the airport to spend six days with Orlandi, her husband and their six children.

'I've been searching for 21 years, and because of the miracle of DNA [we] found each other,' Orlandi told Fox 5 San Diego.

Her father, Erbe, who was originally from Arkansas, said he was 'pretty blown away' about finding his daughter, who he had also been searching for.

Erbe had met Orlandi's mother, Caroline, in Washington state and soon fell for the beauty queen.

Detective work: Orlandi, who has appeared in TV series CSI, used a DNA website to track her father down

Roots: Orlandi's parents Caroline and Gary Erbe met in Washington state. It was only after they separated that Erbe discovered Caroline had been pregnant with his child

Romance: Beauty queen Caroline and Erbe spent about a year together before going their separate ways

They went their separate ways after about a year, and only later did he discover that Caroline had become pregnant and put the child up for adoption.

Orlandi was adopted by a Puerto Rican couple and later moved to New York City to study acting after she was spotted by a modelling agent.

Sadly, Caroline died before Orlandi could get in touch with her, ABC 10 reported.

Erbe said he had searched for Orlandi for years, and even returned to Bellingham where he had met her mother, to try to find her.

Family: Orlandi, pictured with her husband, has been trying to trace her roots for years

Finally, a close DNA match between Orlandi and one of Erbe's grandsons brought father and daughter back together.

The website provides analysis of subscribers' genetic makeup and ethnicity, as well as providing information about close relatives who have also provided a DNA sample using their home kit.

Orlandi said she felt as if her 'heart is going to explode' during the longed-for reunion this week.