One of the biggest stories of the mid-90’s was one of the saddest, as well. In October 1995, a Chicago construction worker was dropping off a load of trash when he heard whimpering noises coming from the garbage. When he looked inside a tied-up garbage bag inside the dumpster, he was shocked to discover a newborn baby girl inside. The child was left for dead in a local Chicago dumpster, cops presumed, by her own mother. The man who found her, Gerald Rocky Hyatt, rushed the baby to the hospital, essentially saving her life. Nurses at the hospital named her Mary Grace and managed to nurse her back to health.

The story of little, abandoned Mary Grace made headlines all around the country and Gerald Rocky Hyatt became a local Chicago hero.

But the little girl wouldn’t be Mary Grace forever. She was soon adopted by her now-mother, Sandi, and became Morgan Hill. Sandi had kept a binder full of news clippings about baby Mary Grace, chronically her story as the news did 20 years ago. It wasn’t until last year – at the age of 20 – that Morgan learned what happened to her in 1995, how she almost died, and that she was saved by a local man.

While Morgan grew up knowing she was adopted, finally learning the story of how Gerald saved her life after a brutal abandonment completely transformed her view on life. After recovering from the news, Morgan made it her mission to find Gerald Rocky Hyatt, the man she calls her “guardian angel.” Luckily, reporters from local news station KHSB agreed to help her track him down.

But first, they interviewed her. Morgan was emotionally closed-off for most of the interview – we can understand why. Learning that your story is as sad as hers must have been a serious shock. But when the interviewers asked her what she would say to the people who rescued her and nursed her back to health, her walls crumbled down.

“Jut honestly, thank you,” Morgan said in an interview with KHSB. “I couldn’t say thank you enough for basically saving my life and giving me the chance to live a wonderful, beautiful life with the family I have.”

And just when you thought it couldn’t have been more emotional, the news station revealed that they had kept their promise.

As Morgan read an article about Gerald Rocky Hyatt, her rescuer, Gerald himself was snuck in behind her! Much older now and using two canes to support himself, Gerald appeared behind an emotional Morgan, who simply broke down into tears at the sight of him. She instantly knew who he was.

After an emotional embrace, where Morgan thanked him repeatedly for what he’d done for her, the two sat down and Gerald told Morgan (and the news crew) the story of how he found her that day. Nurse Carroll Servanski, who opened the garbage bag where Morgan had been placed, was also there, and told her side of the emotional story as well.

Despite the fact that this circumstance came from something sad and terrible, it was beautiful to see how the good will of these people helped a young woman live a full life, one that she wouldn’t have known without them.

What do you think about this tear-jerking story? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.