When “Where’s Molly?” hits the big screen February 17th at the Portland International Film Festival, one Oregon family will have a better understanding than most of what Jeff Daly went through to find his long-lost sister.

KGW photo

Molly celebrates with her family.

Jeff West of Portland was watching Newschannel-8 when our first story on Molly and Jeff Daly ran in 2005.

"I told my wife, I had a brother at Fairview", said West.

Jeff West called me at Newschannel 8 and I put him in touch with Jeff Daly. Daly made some phone calls, and a couple of days later, Jeff West had a number to call to try to locate the brother he hadn't seen for more than 40-years.

"I called that number and someone at the house he lives in answered. I said, ‘Is Ricky West there?’ And they said, “Richard West is here.” And I was just tingly all over," West said.

"We owe finding my brother to Molly and Jeff. I know I watched that story for a reason and now I have found my brother."

The West family - seven brothers and sisters - reunited with Richard, who lives in a group home in Eastern Oregon. They keep in frequent contact and the family says they feel whole again.

 VIDEO: KGW report on 'Where's Molly' documentary
 More: 'Molly' goes from KGW-TV to Portland Film Festival

Barbara Waterman, Richard's sister said, "To find him just kind of feels like we're a complete family now. I can talk about him. I can go visit. It's exciting. It gives me goose bumps."

Jeff Daly hopes his film, "Where's Molly?" leads to more reunion stories like the West's story. He says there are many more siblings out there waiting to be found and time is running out.

"Our brothers and sisters are very fragile. Their health is fragile. Many of them are in their fifties and they led institutional lives. Years for them are precious. That's why it's important for us and the Wests, and other families to try to reunite, because there won't be many more years where there will be an opportunity," Daly said.