Jamie Williams had always known that he had experienced a traumatic start to life. At just four months old his mother Susan Carter died suddenly aged 27 and he was placed into the care system. But, while he knew his mother died when he was a child, it wasn't until 30 years later did he find out about the twist of fate that saved his life as she sadly lost hers.
Jamie, now 31 years old from Cymmer in the Afan Valley, had long wondered about his mother's death and what had happened, but it wasn't until he was handed an old newspaper copy found in an aunt's house this week was he able to piece some details of his early life together.
Over 30-years-on from the tragedy he has now found out that Susan died at her home in Llangwm, Penplas, Swansea in January 1992, with baby Jamie by her side. Jamie was only found three days later when neighbours called police after they became suspicious of teenagers trying to break in at the home and because people could hear crying coming from the property.
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It's not known whether the teenagers - two 16-year-olds - were trying to get into the property to help the crying baby or for a more sinister reason, but either way, they undoubtedly saved baby Jamie's life. Susan's death was not treated as suspicious and Jamie said he heard over the years she may have possibly been diabetic which he thinks could have led to her death.
Now, Jamie who was adopted into a loving family who "changed his life'' aged three is on a quest to find the two teenagers who saved him and any links to his birth mother. He said he was put in contact with his biological father when he was 18 but that he has now died. While he has contact with some members on that side, he said he has never had any contact with his biological mother's relations.
It was only in December 2022 when he was given the old newspaper clipping did he learn more about his early months. When Jamie was found, around three days after his mother's death, the heating was still on - which he believes went a long way to saving his life.
He said: "All I know is, when I was born, I was four months old as the article states, and my mother has passed away in the house we were living in. She was 27 at the time.
"From my father what I know is that my mother and father had an argument and walked off and left her there. I’ve heard rumours my mother had diabetes, but either way, she slipped into sleep and never woke up.
"I found out from the article then that there were two 16-year-old kids who tried to break in. It says the two 16-year-olds were confronted by the locals about what they were doing there and then a baby was heard crying and then the police found me and my mother.
"I was taken into hospital for dehydration and starvation because I was there for 3 days. The heating was still left on which I think in the sense might have helped. If they haven’t tried to break in I could be dead, I wouldn’t be here. The article says that the break-in might have happened before or after but I like to think that they heard a cry and tried to come in.
"It says the police were alerted by a baby crying. How long was I crying? Maybe these kids thought they tried to break in to see, or maybe they tried to rob the place, we’ll never know.
"Someone had tried to break in which led the people in the area to be suspicious and as soon as they found broken glass and signs of a break in they could hear a baby crying constantly which was me. When the police came and broke down the door they found me and my mother who had sadly passed away but I was still alive."
When Jamie was 18 years old he received a letter from social services with a contact number for his father and decided to contact him. Through this, he met his half-sister and other family members. It was one of these family members who this week found the old newspaper clipping from the Evening Post in 1992 detailing the incident with his mother. Jamie's biological father died six years ago.
"I’ve known bits and bobs my whole life," said Jamie. "When I was 18 I heard more and I had a message from my aunty this week and she said about the newspaper band and she found a hospital band. It says “infant of Susan Carter, it had my date of birth, 22/10/.1981 and my time of birth.
"I always thought my mother died giving birth to me because that’s one thing I was told. I didn’t know I’d spent three days in the house, all the details about the kids and the heating, it’s all come as a culture shock."
Jamie said that the new information about his mother's death and the reason he was still here today has been "overwhelming". Now he wants to find those who saved him in the hopes they can give him even more answers, or that some of his mother's family will come forward.
He said: "I just want the truth, I want answers. I’ve been struggling with this and not knowing all my life. I just want to get it out there so I can hopefully shake the hands of the two people who saved my life. I don’t even know what my mother looks like, I’d love to know even that. I’ve never spoken to anyone on my mother's side, I don’t even know if they’re alive.
"I don’t know where to start. I’ve been looking since I was 18 and got nowhere and now I’ve had this put in my hand. I’m overwhelmed It’s a hole in my heart that I need to be filled."
While Jamie was born in Swansea and that's where his mother was living when she died, but he has grown up in Cymmer with his adopted parents Margaret and Ralph Williams who he says is his "mum and dad" and who have given him "hell of an upbringing".
Speaking of them he said: "I’ve had a great upbringing. I was put into the system and was adopted by my parents now when I was three. I have no recollection of what happened. I’ve had a hell of an upbringing with my mother and father. I know for a fact that without them I’d be either dead or I’d be in prison.
"They’ve always told me the truth whenever I’ve had questions. Nothing was ever kept away from me. With mam and dad here I’ve had the best upbringing, I’ve had the best life, made the best friends, it’s all because I’ve been taken into the system and taken in by people who have given me the best life. I owe them everything. Everything in the world I owe to my parents."
Speaking of the last few days and processing the news of how his life was saved Jamie said it has hit him like "an emotional train". It’s incredible," he said. "In the first part of my life, I just see trauma. I’ve felt so emotional and I haven’t known how to process anything."
"I was shocked, I can’t even explain my feelings. When I saw it in writing, I can’t explain it. It’s like something you’d read about in a book, someone else’s life. I couldn’t believe it would happen to anyone let alone you. People think I’m making it up and that I’m just winding it up. I’m not joking, it’s my life."
"I’m hoping they will come forward. I want to put a face tn the people who have saved me. I owe them everything. I’d probably break down in tears. I’d break down. I’m here because of them in a sense. It makes me feel really fortunate. It makes me feel like I’ve been given a second chance in life."
If anyone has any answers about what happened to Jamie's mother Susan, or is one of the teenagers at the property that day, please contact ffion.lewis@walesonline.co.uk.
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