Identified! UK - Abandoned airport baby 'Gary Gatwick' seeks his mother 25 years later - Steve Hydes

wfgodot

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This is a sterling story, an inspiration as well as a tearjerker. Steve Hydes was discovered at Gatwick Airport in a bathroom two and one-half decades ago - on the anniversary of his being found, he is actively seeking his birth mother. Today - 04.10 - is the 25th anniversary of Hydes's abandonment.

I was the Gatwick baby
The Gatwick staff cared for the newly found infant brilliantly:
At first, Beryl thought the baby's mother was in a cubicle; then, she thought maybe he'd been accidentally forgotten. But as she cuddled him outside the ladies, and no one appeared to claim him, the terrible truth began to dawn. The mother wasn't coming back. The baby had been abandoned.
---
Their words, preserved under cellophane in a photograph album, bear witness to the extraordinary effect a helpless, motherless baby has on the adults he or she comes into contact with. One of the policemen at the scene describes how "when all the fuss had died down, Gary was fed by Sergeant Ahmed Ramiz, who had bought the milk himself".

I want her [his birth mother] to know that I'm not angry with her and there will be no publicity if she comes forward. But there are so many things I'd like to ask her, and so much I'd like to know about my background, and Alanna's [Hydes's daughter]. And it's not just a mother I'm hoping to find – it's an extended family as well. I might have siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles, even grandparents."
(the rest of this story, brilliantly told in a feature length, must-read article which tracks Steve Hydes's efforts to discover his identity, at Guardian link above)
Last year he wrote an open letter to his mother which was published in the Daily Mirror saying: 'Don't be scared to get in touch, I just want to give you a big hug and say thank you.

'You chose life for me and left me somewhere safe to be found, for that I will always be grateful.'
---
She [a Gatwick employee present on the day Steve was found] said: 'I wanted to take you home, but they wouldn't let me.

'When we found you you were very clean, you wore a lovely little blue outfit as far as I remember.

'You wore that and you were very clean and very contented. Your mother looked after you.'
("You chose life for me" - absolutely beautiful. Stunning. Rarely do five words resonate so loudly. The rest of the Daily Mail story - including pictures taken not long after he was found [and with the Gary Gatwick teddy bear!] at link below)

'I was the Gatwick baby': Man left at airport 25 years ago
returns to meet those who found him on quest to find his mother
 
This made me tear up. Thanks for posting. I hope she comes forward or someone who knew about the birth does.
 
Thanks for sharing this story with us, WFG. I agree. The Guardian article is excellent journalism. A human interest story, but with relevance to advances in genetics and modern DNA applications. And it brings the reader up close with Steven in his living room, his daughter and her mother at his side.

I'd love to see the documentary. The DM article, with excerpts from the BBC video, says Steven was clean and well-dressed when found in the airport. That tells us someone cared for him. One would think that person, presumably his mother, has lived with quite a bit of anxiety and uncertainty all of these years, herself. Yet, she didn't respond to his open letter last year. But the images of Steven returning to the airport, and the sentimental reunion with the Gatwick employee, just might provide the added push that will inspire her to be a part of the picture, too. That is, if she's still alive and has read or seen the articles and documentary. At any rate, his adoptive parents have raised a fine young man. I hope his efforts will be fruitful.
 
Well-said, bessie.

His mother, I imagine, would have had to have known that he was found, and would be, and was being, well-cared-for. The story received much publicity at the time. I imagine her failure to come forward might be a result of having not only the light of publicity - and of public scorn, perhaps, she would imagine - shining on her, but also she would feel the push to fill in the other blank - who was Steve's biological father? what was his role? One feels his abandonment might have resulted due to pressures from that side of things.
 
I understand and applaud Gary's attempt to make contact with his birth mother. But I would think it would be hard for the mother to come forward now.

Just as he is not the same person that was left in the station 25 years ago, so the mother would be different too. She also has had 25 years of living. She may have married, raised a family, had grandchildren. How would she tell her husband, children grandchildren that she left her son? That they had a brother she never told them of? It would be very difficult to acknowlege now, even if there weren't any legal repercussions.
 
I just hope she's out there and is even thinking of coming forward...perhaps she had an illness and passed away. There has to be someone who knew she was pregnant...so sad. Prayers.
 
WFGODOT, do you think this would be better under 'unidentified'?

SK
 
WFGODOT, do you think this would be better under 'unidentified'?

SK
Perhaps under Missing Forum Discussion - it would get more looks there. And it fits, I think. You could hit the "alert" red triangle on your post to ask a mod if it might be moved.
 
Map of Gatwick Airport
 

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I am wondering if neighbouring hospital's were checked out for a young single mother in either late May or April of 1986?

West Sussex Hospital
Crawley Hospital
East Surrey Hospital
Langley Green Hospital

Questioning why the baby was left at an airport?
Mother worked nearby
Mother lived nearby
Mother was travelling and had a stop over
Mother was travelling out of West Sussex
Mother was coming back to West Sussex
...
 
I would like to welcome Gary Gatwick Baby to the forum! He was just approved as a WS Member :great:

Perhaps, we can ask him questions to find his mother. I'm so glad you're here!!

SideKick
 
Thank you and please anyone ask any questions I will try to answer as best as I can

You made it safe and sound! Very nice to have you here, muchly appreciated.

We are trying to get your forum moved for more viewers and more questions and sleuthing. Hang tight with us, it will happen.

SK
 
For those wondering, I understand Gary had his DNA done to find out what country he may be from. English and Irish came up. So, his mother could have been from the UK or sadly maybe moved out of the country.
 
Welcome to WS!
At a loss of what to say but I really hope you find your mum.

WS members are amazing and can guarantee they will do everything they can to help you.

Just visited your Facebook page, hope your little boy is feeling better

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
 

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