A couple in London, Ohio has captured global attention after welcoming a baby unlike any other in modern medical history. Their journey to parenthood spanned years of heartbreak, hope, and finally, a miracle that no one saw coming.
Lindsey and Tim Pierce had spent nearly seven years trying to conceive. From fertility treatments to emotional prayers, nothing seemed to work. But everything changed when they turned to embryo adoption.
This lesser-known path allowed the Pierces to be matched with an embryo through the Open Hearts program, which connects donors with potential parents. The couple moved forward with the transfer, unaware of the historic surprise waiting behind the science.
The embryo transfer took place earlier this year, with two embryos implanted into Lindsey. Only one took — but that one was more than just a hopeful start to life.
What made this baby extraordinary wasn’t visible in ultrasounds or scans. It was the age of the embryo itself. Created in 1994, the embryo had been frozen for more than 30 years before finally being brought to life.
Lindsey gave birth to a healthy baby boy on July 26, 2025. His name is Thaddeus Daniel Pierce.
“We didn’t go into it thinking we would break any records,” Lindsey said. “We just wanted to have a baby.”
The embryo came from Linda Archerd, who had created four embryos during fertility treatment with her former husband three decades ago. One was used to give birth to her daughter. The other three were placed in cryostorage.
After going through menopause and a divorce, Linda kept the embryos preserved, paying storage fees each year in hopes they could still bring life to another family.
“I didn’t want them to go out of the country,” she said. “And being Christian is very important to me, because I am.”
Lindsey and Tim were matched with Linda’s embryos through Nightlight Christian Adoptions. Of the three embryos, one had degraded, but the remaining two were transferred into Lindsey.
Out of the two, only one led to a successful pregnancy — resulting in the birth of Thaddeus.
Linda was overcome with emotion when she learned the baby had arrived safely. She said, “It’s hard to even believe.”
She added that seeing photos of the newborn reminded her of her own daughter as a baby, calling him “perfect” and a “dream come true.”
Dr. John David Gordon, the fertility expert who oversaw the procedure, said the case proves just how viable long-frozen embryos can be. The success also raises new questions about embryo storage ethics and future fertility possibilities.
Remarkably, Thaddeus is now believed to be the oldest baby ever born from a frozen embryo. He was conceived at a time when his father, Tim, was still in diapers himself.
As Lindsey put it, “The baby has a 30-year-old sister.” A statement that’s not just poetic — it’s biologically true.
The Pierces say they didn’t intend to make history. But by giving life to a 30-year-old embryo, they’ve done exactly that.
Featured image credit: (Instagram/OzzyObsourne)
