A surprised veteran officer came face-to-face with a South Bend Police recruit who, 24 years earlier, had been the abandoned infant he carried to safety during a Christmas-time call.

A retired lieutenant was reunited in April 2024 with the former newborn he once rescued, now a fellow officer in the same department, months after the lieutenant lost his only son, WorldNetDaily reported.

On a frigid December day in 2000, a call came into the South Bend Police Department reporting a baby found alone in a cardboard box. The infant boy had been left in a hallway of an apartment complex just three days before Christmas, wrapped in blankets but alone.

Lieutenant Gene Eyster responded to that unusual call, one he would later describe as one of the most memorable of his career. He brought the baby to the hospital for evaluation and safety, unsure of what would happen next for the child.

Haunted by the image of the vulnerable infant, Eyster returned to the hospital later that day. This time, he brought a teddy bear with him, hoping it would serve as a small sign that someone had cared.

Young life begins with an uncertain past

The baby's identity remained unknown, and he was temporarily listed as "Baby Boy Doe." He was later adopted, and his new identity — along with all related records — was sealed under Indiana law.

For years, Eyster thought of the child he'd briefly encountered, often wondering what became of him and how his life unfolded after that winter night.

Nearly a quarter-century later, in April 2024, Gene Eyster received a phone call from a former colleague. The officer asked if he remembered the baby found in the box in 2000, a case that had long remained in Eyster's memory.

Unexpected phone call leads to revelation

When Eyster said he remembered the baby, the fellow officer revealed that the child had grown up to wear a badge himself, and was sitting next to him as his rookie partner.

That grown baby, now named Matthew Hegedus-Stewart, had recently joined the police force and was assigned to patrol the very same South Bend community where he'd been found more than two decades before.

Hegedus-Stewart was aware of his adoption and knew he had been abandoned as an infant. However, he had never learned the identity of the officer who had rescued him — until he stepped into uniform himself.

New officer connects with rescuer

When Hegedus-Stewart learned the details of his rescue and the man who had helped save his life, he called the moment a full-circle experience. “That hit home,” he said.

He later reflected on the event from both perspectives, acknowledging the emotional impact the reunion likely had for Eyster as well. “I can only imagine from his point of view,” he added.

For Gene Eyster, the significance of the reunion ran even deeper. Earlier that year, he had lost his only child, Nick, at the age of 36, leaving him grieving and searching for solace.

Healing significance after personal loss

Paired with the loss of his son, seeing Hegedus-Stewart thriving in life and service helped fill a personal void for the retired lieutenant. “The timing couldn’t have been any better,” Eyster said. “It helped to fill a void that I’ve had to deal with.”

The story also casts light on broader changes in child welfare. One year before the baby was found in South Bend, the first Baby Safe Haven laws were enacted in the U.S. The laws allow birth parents to legally and safely relinquish infants at designated locations, such as hospitals or fire stations.

Over time, these laws have evolved. In some areas, Safe Haven Baby Boxes have been installed to offer parents the ability to surrender an infant anonymously without face-to-face contact.

Safe Haven laws continue to save lives

Since their introduction, Safe Haven laws have helped protect thousands of infants. Nearly 5,000 babies have been legally and safely relinquished nationwide since 1999, with an average of about 200 such surrenders each year.

Matthew Hegedus-Stewart’s story highlights how one of those infants not only survived but went on to serve in the community that once sheltered him.

For both the rookie officer and the veteran who rescued him, their unexpected reunion is a testament to resilience, fate, and the enduring impact of a single compassionate act.