They’d known since their first date, in 1999, that they’d be parents some day, and 18 years later, that dream came true for fashion designer Jayson Brunsdon and his partner in business and life, Aaron Elias Brunsdon. In January 2015, the couple welcomed son Roman, who “made us understand what it means to have a father’s unconditional love for his child,” writes Aaron in his book, Designer Baby (Impact Press, $32.99).
But the road to parenthood was anything but smooth for the pair, who opted for a gestational carrier in Thailand, using Jayson’s sperm and Aaron’s cousin’s donor egg. Halfway through their surrogate’s pregnancy, all seemed lost when the Thai government moved to outlaw surrogacy in the wake of the Baby Gammy controversy.
After the Australian government negotiated an agreement to allow Australians to leave Thailand with their surrogate babies, the coast seemed clear for Jayson and Aaron. They didn’t count on the nightmare that unfolded at the airport as they were finally headed home with their newborn, as Aaron writes in Designer Baby, excerpted exclusively in WHO this week:

“There are six fierce-looking officers surrounding us,” “My heart has just dropped. Everything is happening so fast we don’t have time to digest it.”
“Where baby mother?” asks the ringleader, almost ignoring our presence.
“Baby mother is not here, this is baby’s father,” I reply in a muted tone, pointing to Jayson.
“No! No! Where baby mother?” He now raises his voice at us, shaking his head in disbelief at our stupid attempt to abscond without her and he screams out. “No baby mother, baby no go.” Spit is coming out of his mouth in anger.

He insists I leave immediately or I will be forcefully removed.
“Tell him, please, I am not leaving under any circumstance, not without my friend and our baby …”

For more on Jayson and Aaron Elias Brunsdon, see the exclusive excerpt from their book in this week’s issue of WHO, on sale now.
