David Stevenson, who was famously featured in a Daily Mail appeal 65 years ago, has finally uncovered the identity of his birth mother after completing a home DNA test. Stevenson was discovered as a baby in a luxury apartment building in Golders Green, north London, and was dubbed the 'Rainbow Baby' due to the vibrant clothing he wore.

His search for his mother, Petra, had been ongoing since he was featured again in the Mail in 2009. While he learned his mother had passed away in 2010, the DNA test provided a breakthrough, revealing a second cousin in Vancouver, Canada. This cousin informed him of extended family residing in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

ITV's "Long Lost Family – Born Without Trace" became involved earlier this year, assisting in contacting Stevenson's relatives and arranging a reunion. "It was quite incredible because they literally didn't know me from Adam and had only a week to absorb this information but I can't tell you how accepting they were of my situation and me," Stevenson stated. He traveled to Rotterdam to meet his newfound family, describing the experience as "emotional but very rewarding and uplifting."

The reunion led to confirmation of Petra as his birth mother through DNA tests taken by two family members, including his maternal aunt, Marianne. His first cousins, Saskia and Bart, revealed that the family had been unaware Petra had ever been pregnant. "That's just very sad to think of," they commented, "A very young woman in a strange place in another country and then giving birth somewhere to a child..."

Stevenson learned that his mother was born in the Netherlands in 1940 and raised in a strict Catholic family. At age 19, she moved to England, working as an au pair. "I was conceived in Paris. That much is clear because my father's line is French [according to the DNA analysis]," Stevenson said, adding that it's possible she was unaware of her pregnancy when she traveled to the UK.

The exact circumstances and reasons for his abandonment remain unknown. Stevenson believes he was likely cared for by an arrangement, as he was in good condition when found. He still does not know his father's identity or his exact date of birth. "I have nothing but sympathy for her. It was difficult for girls in the 1950s and 1960s to be unwed mothers. I think she did the best she could," he said of his mother.

Petra returned to the Netherlands in 1964, worked for an airline, and married, but had no other children. A photograph of her as a child shows a striking resemblance to her son. Stevenson was adopted in 1963 by Stuart and Margaret Stevenson, who raised him with their three other children.

His own experiences as a father, starting in 1989, prompted him to seek information about his background. He contacted social services in 1995, receiving documents including his birth certificate and the original police report. His wife, Julie, helped locate retired police constable Tegwin Curl, who had attended the scene of his discovery. While PC Curl provided further details about the circumstances, the family connection was only established through the DNA test.

Home DNA testing kits, which became popular in the early 2010s, involve saliva samples analyzed against reference databases. For individuals with uncertain family histories, these tests can offer clarity about their heritage.