Man browsing the internet froze when he saw his own baby photo on an old missing children list

Have you ever felt like you didn’t quite belong where you were, or that parts of your life simply didn’t make sense? For most people, that feeling passes quickly. But for those who can’t shake it off, sometimes there’s a very real reason behind it.

That was exactly the case for Steve Carter from the United States. One evening, while browsing the internet, he found a photo of himself in a context that made him freeze in place.

A Life With Missing Pieces

Steve Carter grew up with his mom and dad in New Jersey. As he got older, he always felt that something was missing, though he couldn’t explain what it was.

He had very few memories of his early childhood. He knew he had been adopted at age four — his adoptive parents had told him — and he assumed his sense of confusion came from being adopted. But as he became an adult, Steve noticed details that made him question his background.

For example, he never had a birth certificate.

A Terrifying Discovery Online

At age 35, the questions about his past bothered him more than ever. He read an article about a woman who, as an adult, discovered that her adoption had not been legal. Curious and uneasy, he went online to learn more.

He visited the website missingkids.com — and that’s when he saw the picture that made his stomach drop.

There, on the screen, was a baby who looked *exactly* like him on a missing children’s page. But it was the image on the right — an age-progressed photo — that made Steve tremble. He immediately knew: it was him.

It turned out that Steve had been listed as a missing child his entire life. He had been kidnapped as a baby. His biological father and sister had never given up hope of finding him.

Watch Steve Share His Story on CNN

His story gives chills. Every day, babies are kidnapped around the world — and when they grow up, many remember nothing.

Please share this story so more people understand that the truth has a way of coming out, even decades later. And always keep your children — and grandchildren — safe.