In December 2000, police lieutenant Gene Eyster received a call about a baby found abandoned in a cardboard box just days before Christmas. The newborn, named Baby Jesus by Eyster, had been left in a South Bend, Indiana, apartment building hallway with no note. Eyster, moved by the situation, brought the baby a teddy bear for comfort as he was taken to the hospital. The investigation continued, and eventually Baby Jesus was placed with adoptive parents, bringing Eyster relief. Despite retiring in 2019, Eyster never stopped thinking about the baby and wondered about his well-being over the years.
23 years after the abandonment, Eyster received a phone call from Officer Josh Morgan informing him that a young man named Matthew Hegedus-Stewart, also known as Baby Jesus, was now working as a police officer and was Morgan’s rookie. It was revealed that Hegedus-Stewart had been abandoned in the same building where he is now a police officer. Meeting with Hegedus-Stewart, Eyster was struck by the similarities between the young man and his own late son, Nicholas. Hegedus-Stewart is now a parent himself, with a 14-month-old daughter and expecting a boy in June.
Hegedus-Stewart has made peace with his past, acknowledging that his birth mother was likely overwhelmed and unable to care for him. He expresses gratitude for being adopted into a loving family, recognizing that he lucked out in that regard. Eyster, full of emotion, is proud of the man that Hegedus-Stewart has become and the positive impact he is making as a police officer. Hegedus-Stewart’s supervisors speak highly of him, noting his kindness and dedication to helping others.
The reunion between Eyster and Hegedus-Stewart is a moment of closure and connection for both men. Eyster, who had always wondered about the baby he found abandoned years ago, now sees the full circle moment of meeting the grown man he helped to start on a new path in life. Hegedus-Stewart’s journey from being a newborn left in a cardboard box to becoming a police officer with a family of his own is a testament to resilience and the power of love and support from those around him.
The story of Baby Jesus, now Matthew Hegedus-Stewart, is one of hope and redemption. It highlights the impact that small acts of kindness, like Eyster bringing him a teddy bear, can have on a person’s life. It also illustrates the importance of family, whether biological or chosen, in shaping a person’s identity and future. Hegedus-Stewart’s journey from abandonment to adoption to becoming a devoted police officer and family man is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the power of love to heal and transform lives.
