- David, 66, was on ITV's Long Lost Family Born Without Trace
- READ MORE: Man hunts for estranged sibling on Long Lost Family after learning his sister is actually his MUM - and he was raised by his grandparents all along
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A man held back tears as he was given a letter from his birth relatives - after being abandoned in a locked London flat as a days-old baby.
In 1960, a tiny and cold - but well fed - David Stevenson was found in a corridor on the second floor, outside one of the apartments.
For 66 years, he has lived with no knowledge of what happened to him, and what circumstances led to his being left behind.
However, he became emotional after reconnecting with the family of his estranged mother in episode one of ITV's Long Lost Family Born Without Trace, which aired on Monday at 9pm.
After tracing his relatives back to the Netherlands, presenter Davina McCall gave David a letter from his loved ones based in Rotterdam, who had explained that his mother grew up religious and likely felt like she wouldn't be supported by her loved ones.
A teary-eyed David said: 'I've often said I'm not looking for another family, you know. All I want to know is where did I come from?
'But seeing these and reading the letter, um, you know, I want to meet these people…That's, that's as big as it can be.'
During the episode, David got to revisit the flat building he was left in, questioning: 'Babies are often left at a police station or a hospital… This is a locked private block… Were some of the other residents somehow involved?'
A man held back tears as he was given a letter from his birth relatives - after being abandoned by in a locked London flat as a days-old baby
Residents were questioned and investigated at the time - but didn't result in any leads about David's birth parents.
Eventually he was adopted by the Stevenson family and 'had a happy childhood in nearby Edgware'.
Now, he has a family with three sons of his own - and is ready to learn more about his past.
'The consensus from the police doctor was that I was a result of an unattended birth,' David shared. 'And that must be a traumatic experience for any woman.'
In 2009, he and his wife Julie launched a national appeal for information; while it did not provide answers, it marked 'the start of a decade of their own extensive investigative work'.
Eventually, it led to looking at DNA databases, which revealed that he has both Dutch and French heritage.
During the episode, the team led by social worker Ariel Bruce were able to track down a particular Dutch family David had a 'strong connection' to.
In 2009, he and his wife Julie launched a national appeal for information; while it did not provide answers, it marked 'the start of a decade of their own extensive investigative work'
He got to see a photo of Petra when she was younger - and noted the resemblance
David was moved by hearing how much his birth mother had to go through, and reading a letter from his birth relatives
Two family members, including a woman called Marianne agree to take DNA tests - which enabled Ariel to identify David's birth mother as a woman called Petra, who passed away in 2010.
They couldn't believe David's resemblance to her, upon seeing an image of him, and eventually sat down with co-host Nicky Campbell.
Marianne – David's aunt and his first cousins Saskia and Bart - told the show that the family had never even known that Petra had been pregnant.
'That's just very sad to think of,' they admitted. 'A very young woman in a strange place in another country and then giving birth somewhere to a child...'
Petra first moved to Paris after finishing school, where she lived and worked as an Au Pair. It is thought that this explains David's French heritage - but due to strict laws around DNA testing there, it was not possible to confirm this.
David's mother then moved to London, where she gave birth to David.
Not much is known about Petra's time in the UK, but her relatives recounted that she grew up in a strict Catholic household where news of her pregnancy would not have been tolerated.
'They would also have been very concerned with what society would think of having a child born out of wedlock,' they explained.
Petra didn't have any more children, after returning to the Netherlands.
David was moved by hearing how much his birth mother had to go through.
'Oh wow. I find that surprising,' he shared. 'And quite sad actually…you know having given up the one child that she did have.'
He then became emotional after receiving a letter from his Rotterdam relatives - in which they shared that they would love to meet and share as much information about Petra as they can.
He then made his way to the Netherlands for an emotional first meeting with Marianne, Bart, Saskia and another first cousin – Jan.
'One of the most rewarding things…is to hear them talk about her,' he explained. 'It's helped me form an idea of her character.'
Long Lost Family Born Without Trace starts on Monday 3rd August at 9pm on ITV