Get ready to reach for the tissues — a heartwarming video has gone viral, capturing the powerful moment a man, abandoned as a baby, finally meets his biological family for the very first time.
Back in September 1984, 40-year-old Jon Scarlett-Phillips was found alone in a restroom at a recreation centre parking lot near Milton Keynes, UK.
His birth mother had left him wrapped in a blanket, tucked inside a shopping bag — with his placenta still attached.
Thankfully, three teenage girls discovered Jon and quickly called for an ambulance, ensuring he received the urgent medical care he desperately needed.
Now, years later, Jon courageously shared his incredible journey in the emotional ITV series Long Lost Family: Born Without a Trace, as he embarks on the quest to find and reunite with his birth mother.
Jon Scarlett-Phillips opened up to the programme, saying, “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.”
Thankfully, Jon was adopted by John and Marilyn and grew up alongside his older sister Debbie, enjoying a loving and happy childhood. Yet, despite this, a deep emptiness lingered in his life.
“I didn’t want to search for a very long time,” Jon, now a chef living in Wiltshire, confessed. “The question is still there: Why did she do it?”
At 18, after a tragic event that left his adoptive mother with brain damage, Jon hit a dark low and nearly overdosed. But he vowed never to touch drugs again — a promise that marked a turning point. His wife, Becky, became a crucial pillar of support, encouraging him to seek answers about his past. Jon credits her with helping save his life.
After a lengthy search, the Long Lost Family team discovered that Jon’s birth mother was still alive — and that she was just 20 years old when she gave birth to him. They also learned she had two young children at the time.
Ariel Bruce from Long Lost Family shared insights on Jon’s birth mother: “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.”
While Jon’s two half-sisters were eager to meet him, his birth mother wasn’t ready to face the reunion at the time of filming. Still, the first meeting between Jon and his siblings — who remain anonymous to protect their mother’s privacy — was captured in an incredibly moving video.
The siblings instantly connected, sharing stories and bridging the years that had passed. Even without their mother present, the sisters shared a message from her for Jon:
“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.”
One sister read aloud, “It’s not a no, Jon, it’s just time.”
Reflecting on the reunion, Jon told the programme, “I feel a lot lighter. I feel a bit more full, as well. That emptiness has disappeared completely now. I’m a happy man.”