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An elderly man, aged 87, experienced a deeply moving moment when two of his biological sons arrived by taxi to meet him for the first time. The sons, teenagers Asher and Reuben, shared a heartfelt embrace with Sam Simmonds, who expressed how “wonderful” it was to finally connect with them. The BBC captured this emotional reunion, documenting the unique bond coming to life before their eyes.
Sam, originally living in Australia during the late 1990s, had donated sperm following public appeals for donors. At that time, IVF clinics had initiated a voluntary policy ending anonymous donations, so future offspring would someday learn their biological parent’s identity. This policy shift led to a significant decline in donor volunteers, though the law did not require this change until 2010 in that region. Sam, who has two daughters from previous relationships, recounted how he never expected any follow-up from his donation, but the reality turned out very differently.
The story continued with Rebecca and Fiona, a couple from Sydney eager to start a family. They chose a donor using limited details—such as age, height, and cultural background—but without knowing his name. After the birth of Asher and the pregnancy with Reuben, the couple felt compelled to reach out to the donor to express gratitude. Rebecca sent a letter anonymously through the IVF clinic simply saying “thank you.” Sam described receiving this letter as “astonishing” and emotionally powerful. In response, he sent an anonymous note signed “your unknown friend.”
As the boys grew, Asher eagerly awaited his eighteenth birthday, when he could legally request the identity of his sperm donor. This discovery set off a search that eventually led to Sam’s self-published autobiography, which confirmed his involvement in a sperm donation program in Sydney at the right time. The family hoped Sam would welcome a relationship, and contact progressed from letters to video calls, culminating in the boys traveling over 10,000 miles to meet Sam in person. At their meeting, the atmosphere was joyful and warm, with Sam expressing his happiness at the reunion and the boys reflecting positively on their newfound family connection. In the UK, anonymous sperm donation has not been permitted since 2005, allowing donor-conceived individuals to access information about their donors from age 18 starting late 2023
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