Man Abandoned in Box as Baby Makes Christmas Wish to Find Birth Family, Fulfills It at 90

A man who was abandoned in a box when he was a baby fulfills his one Christmas wish by finally meeting his birth family. At the age of 90, he finally got some well-deserved closure on a chapter of his life that had haunted him for years.

When Jim Scott was only 12 days old, he was left in a box on a doorstep. Growing up, he never knew that he was adopted until he joined the Naval Air Cadets in 1953 at the age of 21.

During the application process, all applicants were required to provide their birth certificates, and at that moment, Jim realized he had never seen his. After obtaining a copy, he saw that under parents, it said "unknown."

A Beautiful Life with His Dad

As a newborn, Scott was given the names James Edward Broad, named after the two Pittsburgh policemen who drove him to the hospital after being found in a box, and his last name came from the street in which he was found: Broad Street.

When Jim was two years old, he was adopted by Walter Scott, who raised him as his father. He was a widower who nurtured his only son in a loving environment. Speaking about his upbringing, Jim had nothing but nice things to say:

"I loved it. I was very, very well cared for, never abused, never neglected, always cared for. It was great."

A Life-Changing Discovery

It was only when Jim's children were grown up that he revealed to his family that he was adopted. To his four children, it came as a shock.

His eldest daughter, Maryland Haig, turned to ancestry.com and DNA tests to help her father find his blood relatives. He had revealed that it was his "Christmas wish" to meet them, and it all started to piece together quickly.

In 2016, Maryland found a barber named Bob Laubham who turned out to have the same dad as Jim. In 2021, they discovered two cousins.

By 2022, Maryland found a retired school teacher named Felix Zabroski who shared the same mother as Jim. She decided to reach out, and they exchanged letters and Facebook posts back and forth until it turned to calls, and baby photos were exchanged eventually.

Getting to Know the Family

For Maryland, it was a great thing for her father to finally get to know his siblings, as he had always stressed the importance of family. Now, he finally knows the connection he has with strangers whom he never even knew existed.

When Bob confirmed that Jim was indeed his brother, they spoke on the phone and laughed through the tears. They shared such a warm connection between them and some distinct similarities, like the shape of their noses and their sense of humor.

Meanwhile, his half-brother Felix also made sure to reach out so that they could meet. He threw a party at home and invited 39 of his relatives to meet Jim and his family.

New Life-Long Relationships

Jim's children couldn't help but look back at such a wonderful gathering, where they received genuine hugs from their relatives. "You didn't want to let it go," she said about the hugs they got. "It was like, 'Where have you been our entire lives?' It's just been a wonderful relationship."

During their meeting, Felix discovered so many common things he shared with Jim. In the end, he even joked, "You owe me 86 Christmas gifts!"

Through it all, Jim is grateful that he was able to meet his siblings in this lifetime. However, he doesn't discredit his wonderful adoptive father, who gave him everything he could ever need and more. Speaking about it, he shared:

"Adoptions can work. And Christmas wishes do come true."

Well-Deserved Closure

Although Jim was never able to meet his biological parents, he is comforted by the fact that he was able to track down 45 of his blood relatives thanks to his daughters. Just days before Christmas 2022, Felix made the long drive from his native Pittsburgh to Philadelphia to give Jim a visit at home.

It was a touching reunion with everyone all-smiles as the two brothers embraced one another. Even for Jim's daughters, seeing their Uncle Felix again was a great Christmas gift that they appreciated a whole lot—it was a very Merry Christmas for the entire family!

Click here to read about three siblings who lose their parents months apart, only to get a new family and unconditional love after.