He was 'found' alone in an apartment as a newborn in 1960. 65 years later, a TV show handed him a letter from his cousin
Although David Stephenson wondered how he was found, it wasn't until he had kids of his own that he really began to think about his family history
In 1960, two-day-old David Stephenson was discovered in the hallway of a London block of flats. He always knew that he was adopted since his parents never tried to conceal the fact from him. However, the Peterborough resident never got curious enough to find out how he ended up in that hallway. That was until he held his own son, which triggered something inside him, and he started to think about where he was from. This started an extensive search, which ended recently, nearly 66 years after he was found in a wholesome way, as reported by This Morning (@thismorning) on August 4, 2026, garnering over 14,000 views.
His adoptive parents' blessing
For decades, Stephenson went on with his life without really bothering himself about his whereabouts. Although he often looked at the Heldon Times clipping that talked about how he was found, it wasn't until he had kids of his own that he really began to think about his family history. So, he began seeking answers with the encouragement of his adoptive parents. By 2009, he decided to launch a national media campaign, featuring in news outlets, and tracking down old apartment residents.
Finally, a TV show
Despite his efforts, Stephenson was not able to find any trace of his lineage. However, as he was beginning to lose hope of ever finding the truth, Julie, a former local councilwoman, was able to connect him with an officer who worked on his case. While they did meet over a decade ago, they couldn't lead Stephenson to his parents. It wasn't until ITV came knocking that a breakthrough came. They asked him to be part of their series "Long Lost Family: Born Without Trace," where they try to reunite long-lost people with their families using advanced DNA testing.
A breakthrough at last
With Stephenson aboard, the investigation team used advanced DNA matching and was able to successfully trace his relatives in the Netherlands. Eventually, he got to know that his mother's name was Petra, after a local family gave their DNA samples for testing. Furthermore, he learned that his mother, who was born in the Netherlands in 1940, spent time in France before arriving in the UK as an au pair. Unfortunately, she passed away in 2010, but Stephenson, through sources, learned she was a "very loving lady."
The healing letter
Keeping that in mind, Stephenson didn't hold any grudges with his mother. "It was difficult for girls in the 1950s and ‘60s to be unwed mothers. I think she did the best she could," he said. Nonetheless, through the show, he was finally able to connect with his mother's sister, Maryanne, and cousins, Bart, Saskia, and Jan, from Rotterdam. He received a letter from them, in which they expressed how delighted they were to share their memories with him. They also welcomed him to their family. He finally met Saskia on the "This Morning Show."
Hopes for the future
With this search ending in the most wholesome way possible, now Stephenson hopes to find out about his father's side of the family. That being said, this curiosity isn't uncommon. According to a study conducted by the American Adoption Congress, 72% of adopted adolescents want to know why and how they were adopted. Furthermore, the survey revealed that a striking 65% of these kids want to meet their biological parents at least once, while 94% want to see what they looked like.
'What a lovely person he is despite his beginning'
That being said, people were impressed not only by Stephenson's patience but by his warm demeanor. @Zoecoatesxo commented, "What a lovely person he is despite his beginnings. I bet his biological family is glad to have found him." Meanwhile, @jeffbobby5022 noted, "The title breaks my heart even before watching this heartbreaking. I come from a single-parent family, let alone being abandoned."
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'Adopted' woman takes DNA test to trace biological family, realizes her parents lied for 24 years
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