Greg Gomes Jr., 36, left, shares a laugh Thursday with his father, who feeds a piece of cake to Greg Jr.'s son, Zander, at The Orleans. Greg Gomes Sr., 56, hadn't seen his son in more than 35 years until their Thanksgiving Day reunion at The Orleans. Photo by Craig L. Moran.

Elaine Gomes bought Christmas gifts and birthday presents for her grandson, Greg Jr., for years, storing them neatly in a closet and praying that one day he would show up to unwrap them.

As she stared down a long hallway inside The Orleans on Thanksgiving Day, she couldn't help but think back to the last time she saw the boy.

Her voice cracking, she recounted the story: The infant was in his mother's arms at a grocery store in Oakland, Calif., where they all lived at the time. Before Elaine could reach the two to say hello, the mother whisked him away.

That was more than 35 years ago.

"I kept those presents in the closet, and I carried a picture of him in my wallet until it was raggedy," Elaine said, wiping away streams of tears. "I thought someday he'd find us. I really prayed hard."

Thanksgiving Day will be one holiday the Gomes family will never forget. It is the first holiday the entire clan has celebrated together. The entire clan, including Greg Jr.

"I guess God answered my prayers," Elaine said.

On Thursday morning, Greg Jr., who lives in the Phoenix area, arrived at The Orleans with his pregnant wife and 1 1/2-year-old son, Zander. He walked swiftly toward the tearful gathering of some 20 family members and embraced his grandmother for the first time. He then turned and clutched the father he'd never known.

The emotional reunion ended three decades of pain, frustration and mystery surrounding Greg Jr.'s disappearance and whereabouts. Relatives flew from as far away as Arkansas to celebrate the end of their ordeal.

Greg Sr. said he was a 19-year-old member of the U.S. Coast Guard when he returned home one day to find his wife gone. She had packed up the belongings of their only son and disappeared to escape their troubled relationship, Greg Sr. said.

He started searching for his 9-month-old son right away, but the trail quickly went cold. He never knew his wife had changed his son's last name and moved to Arizona.

Greg Sr., now a Reno resident, never gave up. His family even hired a private detective at one point.

"I never stopped looking, but it gets to a point where you think, 'Would he want to see me again?' " he said, trembling as he waited to see his son.

Greg Jr. lived much of his life in Arizona with his mother and stepfather, never realizing he had dozens of relatives scouring the country for him.

His first clue something was amiss was in second grade, when his stepsister told him "Leyrer" wasn't his real last name. He was too young to understand, but he never forgot. In high school he began aggressively searching for his father.

When asked when he first felt the desire to find his family, Greg Jr., now 36, glanced down and said: "As soon as I realized there was one."

His search also was frustrating, especially since during the early stages he didn't have the assistance of the Internet.

"There are a lot of Greg Gomes out there, man," Greg Jr. said.

Three weeks ago, he stumbled on a Gary Gomes in Mesquite. It triggered a memory of an uncle named Gary. He called the house and when he heard a male voice, he nervously asked, "Are you my Uncle Gary?"

"There was silence," Greg Jr. said Thursday, recounting the conversation. Gary's wife, Carol Gomes, called Greg Sr. while her husband and Greg Jr. were on another line.

"He said, 'You're kidding me, you're kidding me.' Then he just burst out into tears," Carol Gomes said.

In the hallway at The Orleans, Gary led Greg Jr. through a crowd, introducing him to tearful relatives, who snapped pictures and offered hugs.

More than a dozen aunts and uncles and cousins watched the reunion of father and son.

Greg Jr.'s half sister, Tiffany, who also was dedicated to finding him, died five years ago of complications from diabetes. She was 28.

His half brother, Raymond Joseph "RJ" Gomes, joined his father in embracing Greg Jr. No one wanted to let go. RJ Gomes said he thought more and more about his lost brother after losing his sister. He has only one wish of his newly found brother.

"I want to play catch with him. I've always wanted a brother to play catch with," RJ Gomes said.