A man who was abandoned as a baby at Gatwick Airport 37 years ago this week told others searching for their family, “Never give up.”
Steven Hydes was dubbed Gary Gatwick after he was found wrapped in a scarf in an airport toilet in April 1986 by a duty-exempt employee.
It took him 33 years to find his real family thanks to DNA detectives who took up his case.
Yesterday he posted a message on Facebook to mark the 37th birthday of his abandoned 10-day-old baby.
And he urged others to examine their DNA, saying he “highly recommends it.”
Steven Hydes now has a family of his own and keeps a photo album of what happened as a reminder. In the photo: Steven with his children Alanna and Kian
It took another 33 years for him to find his real family thanks to DNA detectives who took up his case. pictured; Steven with members of his long-lost family
He said: ’37 years ago today, on April 10, 1986, someone carried me to Gatwick Airport as a 10-day-old baby.
“I am very lucky that I have now found out who my biological family is.
“For anyone thinking about getting their DNA done I would highly recommend it and to be patient, it has taken me a long time to get to where I am today and with questions still unanswered.
“I’m still wondering what’s next, but I’m very grateful to all of my biological family for accepting me and my mom, dad, and sisters for their support throughout my journey.”
And he simply added, “Never give up.”
Steven Hydes was dubbed Gary Gatwick after he was found in a scarf in an airport toilet in April 1986 by a duty-exempt assistant.
Steven Hydes has told others searching for their families: ‘Never give up’ on Gary Gatwick’s 37th birthday, which was yesterday
Steve was found on April 10, 1986 on a shelf in a restroom in the South Terminal by sales assistant Beryl Wright.
He wore a striped cardigan and two baby suits – one blue, one yellow – and was wrapped in a blue and white checkered blanket.
He slept so soundly that at first Beryl thought he was just a pile of rags.
But when she pushed the scarf back, she realized it was a baby and first thought his mother must be in the toilet.
However, when it became clear that he had been abandoned, he was named Gary Gatwick after the airport’s plush bear mascot and was taken in by social services.
Despite repeated calls for his birth mother to come forward, no one ever did.
Named Steven Hydes when he was adopted, he had a “wonderful childhood” with his new parents and three sisters.
But the fact that he didn’t know his real identity was always on his mind.
He eventually settled down on his own with partner Sammy and had two children of his own, and it was the birth of his first child that prompted him to start looking for his birth family.
And he had almost given up trying to find them when he announced news on his Facebook page in May 2019.
Named Steven Hydes when he was adopted, he had a ‘wonderful childhood’ with his new parents and three sisters
He said, ‘Good news!
‘After 15 years of searching, I am pleased to confirm that with the very hard work of the genetic genealogists, CeCe Moore and Helen Riding, we have been able to locate and confirm my biological family.
“Unfortunately, my birth mother passed away, so I can’t pinpoint exactly what happened and why.
“However, I found my birth father and siblings on both sides, none of whom knew I existed.
“As you can imagine this is quite a sensitive issue for everyone involved and very new to all of us, but I would like to take this time to thank everyone for their continued support over the years.
“The work the genealogists do is incredible and they’ve worked so hard for years and it’s thanks to them that they solve cases like mine.
Steve with his partner Sammy, daughter Alanna and the blue tartan blanket he had as a baby
“Every day more people are having their DNA tested and I hope this and my story can help raise awareness and prevent other babies from being abandoned.
Thank you to everyone who was involved and helped with my search. Steve.’
Few years later in October 2021, he updated his followers by adding photos of his new family.
He said, “I’ve taken the time to get to know my newfound biological family.
“I’ve been reading so many articles lately and watching TV shows from people looking for answers, it’s really got me thinking about how best to tell my story and about the possibility of getting a book out.” to write.
“I hope it will help others understand the process of how I got to where I am today through the help of DNA and genealogists to find my biological family.
“For me, I hope that one day my story can raise awareness not only to help foundlings, but also those who feel they have no choice but to abandon their baby.”
