Heartwarming Photo of Two Dads Holding Their Newborn Goes Viral

Right before the birth of their son in Kingston, Ontario via gestational surrogate, a midwife shouted “shirts off” to prepare new dads Frank Nelson and BJ Barone for skin-to-skin bonding with their baby.

14:48 07/05/2023

Photographer Lindsay Foster was taking photos of the birth as a present for her friend, the surrogate Kathy Frenette. Foster managed to capture the special moment when the fathers held baby Milo against their bare chests, even before the umbilical cord was cut. In the photos, a shirtless Nelson, 44, cradled Milo to his chest, while Barone, 34, wrapped his arms around both of them, as they both cried tears of happiness.

Nelson said to TODAY Parents, “She absolutely captured the most beautiful moment. I was completely overwhelmed. I was so scared of dropping the baby. Mostly, the feeling was of joy and love and amazement.” The raw emotions captured in the photos represented “unconditional love to us and pure happiness,” he said.

Barone also expressed his excitement and said, “I was so excited, so overjoyed, so overcome with emotion, it was an incredible moment I will never forget. The fact we have this photo, it’s a reminder of how much love we have for him.”

The baby Milo was born during the World LGBT Pride celebrations, and “He’s definitely our pride baby,” Nelson proudly says. “We’re so proud of him.”

(Why are the dads shirtless? Skin-to-skin contact has been shown to have many health benefits for newborns, from temperature regulation to pain management, so it’s standard practice at many births now.)

The couple snapped a few pictures of their newborn, Milo, with their cellphone camera, and Nelson teased that they were content with the 200 “likes” that one of the photos received on Facebook. However, that was nothing compared to the reaction that two of Foster’s images received when she shared them on the social media platform. They rapidly went viral. “We’re so appreciative of her capturing that moment,” Nelson expressed. “It was incredible.” The pair still can’t believe it when they gaze at the pictures and see precisely how they looked at that moment. “I burst into tears when I saw it because you can see so much emotion on everyone’s face, especially Frank’s,” Barone shared. “It immediately brought me to tears. I couldn’t believe it.” The Toronto couple, who have been married for almost four years, thinks Milo’s timing is perfect.

Their first attempt at having a child was unsuccessful, and Milo, the son of two high school teachers, was born at the end of the school year. He arrived on June 27, during the World Pride gay rights festival in Toronto. As soon as their surrogate gave birth, new dads Frank Nelson and BJ Barone embraced their son while the umbilical cord was still attached. Photographer Lindsay Foster recounted, “Every time the surrogate had a contraction, they were in pain, too. I wanted to take a picture and give them a hug simultaneously.” “He’s definitely our pride baby,” Nelson remarked. “We’re extremely proud of him. To us, that photo represents what pride is all about and how far the LGBT community has progressed. Love is love, and that’s the essence of pride.” As the pictures circulated on the internet, comments poured in. Some individuals made negative remarks, but the majority were encouraging. Barone shared that one man wrote that the photos “had opened his heart to acceptance, and that the love shown for a child has no boundaries.” “That brought me to tears,” he added. “We’re not trying to change the world. It’s quite a feeling that we can raise awareness among people and, hopefully, motivate them.”

Actor George Takei, known for his role in the original “Star Trek” series and his advocacy for gay rights, shared a photo of the new fathers on his widely followed Facebook page, along with a congratulatory message. “These photos are a wonderful reminder that love is what makes a family,” he wrote. For one of the fathers, Nelson, the photo’s impact was heartening, as it sparked online discussions about gay rights and what defines good parenting. “This can open the minds of people, and start a conversation, that all that a child needs is unconditional love, be it from a man or a woman or anything in between,” he said.

Although the dads forgot their camera during the rush to the hospital, their unforgettable first moments with their newborn son were captured by a professional photographer, Melissa Foster, whose photo went viral. While Foster was used to supporting pregnant women during labor and delivery, this experience was different. “Every pain that she had, they were crying along with her,” she said, referring to the dads. “When she’d scream, they’d scream. I wanted to take a picture and hug them at the same time.” Foster learned a month before the birth that the intended parents were a gay couple, which made the experience even more special and emotional for her.

The new dads, based in Toronto, are still cherishing the early days with their son, Milo. “He sleeps a lot, he poops a lot and he’s been very good for his Daddies,” said Nelson. Despite their initial lack of a camera, they now have plenty of precious photos to treasure, thanks to the talents of a skilled photographer and the power of social media to spread love and acceptance.