An Ohio couple has welcomed a baby boy born from an embryo frozen more than 30 years ago—a moment they describe as both surreal and miraculous. Lindsey Pierce, 35, and her husband Tim Pierce, 34, say their son, Thaddeus Daniel Pierce, is the result of years of longing, faith, and a little help from science.
According to BBC News, Thaddeus may now hold the record for the oldest known frozen embryo to result in a live birth.
A 1994 Embryo, A 2025 Birth
The embryo that would become baby Thaddeus was originally created in 1994 through IVF by Linda Archerd, now 62, and her then-husband. Of the four embryos they produced, one became their daughter. The remaining three remained cryogenically preserved for three decades—until one was adopted by the Pierces.
Despite divorcing her husband, Archerd continued to pay storage fees for the embryos, feeling unable to destroy or anonymously donate them because of their genetic link to her child. “I always believed those embryos deserved a chance,” she said, per the BBC.
Matched Through a ‘Snowflakes’ Adoption
The Pierces were matched with Archerd through Nightlight Christian Adoptions’ Snowflakes program, which allows embryo donors to choose adoptive families based on personal values such as religion, ethnicity, and location. Archerd’s request was clear: a married, Caucasian, Christian couple living in the U.S.
Lindsey Pierce says breaking records was never the goal. “We just wanted a baby,” she said. After seven years of infertility struggles, the match gave them hope they hadn’t dared to imagine.
A Milestone in Medicine—and Emotion
Thaddeus was born after a successful embryo transfer at Rejoice Fertility in Tennessee, a clinic known for its commitment to giving all embryos—regardless of age—a chance at life. Doctors there believe this birth could surpass the previous record set in 2022 by twins born from embryos frozen in 1992.
Archerd has not yet met the baby, but already sees a family resemblance. For the Pierces, Thaddeus’ arrival is like “something out of a science fiction film,” yet entirely real—a powerful testament to how science and faith can intersect in extraordinary ways.
As medicine continues to advance, stories like Thaddeus’ highlight the emotional and ethical complexities of reproductive technology—and offer renewed hope to families still waiting.
