Prepare for an emotional moment as a video capturing the reunion of a man, who was abandoned as a baby, with his biological family for the first time has become an internet sensation.
In September 1984, Jon Scarlett-Phillips, now 40 years old, was discovered in a toilet at a leisure center car park near Milton Keynes, UK.
He was wrapped in a blanket, placed inside a shopping bag, with his placenta still attached, marking the moment of abandonment by his birth mother.
Three teenage girls stumbled upon Jon, promptly calling an ambulance to ensure the infant received the necessary medical attention.
Jon shared his extraordinary journey on ITV’s “Long Lost Family: Born Without a Trace” in hopes of locating his birth mother.
On the program, he expressed, “I was found by three girls. Finding something like that at that age is absolutely crazy. I’m grateful, very grateful that they heard me and found me. They’re the ones that saved my life.”
Jon’s life improved significantly as he was adopted by John and Marilyn, growing up happily alongside his sister, Debbie.
However, the question of his origins continued to weigh heavily on his heart.
“I didn’t want to search for a very long time,” said Jon, now working as a chef in Wiltshire. “The question is still there: Why did she do it?”
A challenging period in Jon’s life followed a severe accident that left his adoptive mother with brain damage, leading him to vow never to use drugs again after a near-fatal overdose at 18.
His wife Becky played a crucial role in supporting Jon as he sought to uncover the story of his early life, motivating him to search for answers.
After an extensive investigation, the Long Lost Family team revealed that Jon’s birth mother was alive and had been 20 at the time of his birth.
They uncovered that she already had two young daughters when she became pregnant with Jon.
“I suspect she surprisingly found herself pregnant with Jon, and I think she couldn’t cope. When she left him, she was mentally in a very bad place,” noted Ariel Bruce from Long Lost Family.
Although Jon’s birth mother was not yet ready to meet him, his half-sisters were eager for the reunion.
The heartwarming video captures Jon meeting his siblings for the first time, their identities concealed to protect their mother’s privacy.
The touching reunion allowed the siblings to bond over the years they had missed together.
Though Jon’s birth mother was absent, his sisters conveyed a message from her.
It read: “Hi, I’ve sent this message to the girls so they can let you know the reasons why I’m not with them today. Unfortunately, I feel unable, both physically and mentally, to come today following a long period of illness.”
“It’s not a no Jon, it’s just time,” one of the sisters said as they read the message. Jon reflected on the program: “I feel a lot lighter. I feel a bit more full, as well. That emptiness has disappeared completely now. I’m a happy man.”