Baby Found in the Subway Story: Amazing and Heartwarming and Here's How We Really Feel

Peter Mercurio's husband adopted their son after finding him abandoned, we cried

By John Boone Mar 01, 2013 10:23 PMTags
Subway BabyiStock; NBC

The New York Times recently published a story called "We Found Our Son in the Subway" by Peter Mercurio, which tells the story of how his husband, Daniel Stewart, found their eventual son, a baby that had been abandoned in a subway station. And after we read it, our hearts grew 10 times this day.

The title alone warns you that it's going to be an emotional rollercoaster. And it is:

"Danny called me that day [from 'a dark, damp subway station'], frantic. 'I found a baby!' he shouted."

Our emotions throughout this story our best summed up, as with most things in life, in GIFs:

"The baby, who had been left on the ground in a corner behind the turnstiles, was light-brown skinned and quiet, probably about a day old, wrapped in an oversize black sweatshirt."

"What neither of us knew, or could have predicted, was that Danny had not just saved an abandoned infant; he had found our son."

After the baby was placed in foster care, Daniel was called into family court to tell his story.

"The judge asked, 'Would you be interested in adopting this baby?' The question stunned everyone in the courtroom, everyone except for Danny, who answered, simply, 'Yes.'"

While Peter was initially sceptical, he eventually had a chance to meet the baby.

"I had convinced myself I could not, and would not, become inextricably attached…But with the baby's eyes staring up at me, and all the innocence and hope he represented, I, like Danny, was completely hooked."

Danny and Peter were told it would take nine months to process their adoption.

"A week later, when Danny and I appeared in front of the judge to officially state our intention to adopt, she asked, 'Would you like him for the holiday?'

She couldn't have meant Christmas, which was only a few days away."

"And yet, once again, in unison this time, we said yes."

Years later, New York would finally pass a bill allowing for same-sex marriage. The baby the two adopted, named Kevin, suggested that the judge who oversaw his adoption marry his dads.

Peter reached out and the judge happily agreed to it. Kevin finally would have the opportunity to meet the woman who helped him find his home.

"Kevin reached out to shake her hand. 'Can I give you hug?' she asked."

ACTUAL. HEARTWARMING. TALE OF. HUMAN KINDNESS.

Now, go forth into the weekend and tell everyone that you love them.

And make sure you read the full story over at the NY TImes.