Man Learns Truth: He's Stolen Generations Survivor at 61

Ricky Hampson was four days old when hospital staff took him from his mother and handed him to another family. They called him a "pillow baby."

For 56 years, the Canberra man believed the story he'd been told: that his mother had chosen adoption, that he'd been "picked out of thousands." The truth only surfaced when the woman who took him from Blacktown Hospital died, leaving behind documents that revealed what really happened.

"It was all untrue, it was all lies," Hampson said. "It was mind-blowing."

Born in 1965 while his mother lived at Parramatta Girls' Home, Hampson is one of tens of thousands of Indigenous children forcibly removed from their families by the Australian government. With help from Link-Up, a family tracing service, he discovered his roots trace to Dhanggati land near Armidale and Walcha.

"There was a little bit of relief, but a lot of sadness involved too," the 61-year-old said.

Now Hampson is joining other Stolen Generations survivors in calling out a troubling gap. In the 29 years since Australia's Bringing Them Home report was tabled in parliament, the government has implemented just five of its 83 recommendations. That's only 6 percent.

"This country has got a lot of truth-telling to do," Hampson said on National Sorry Day. "Things need to be taken seriously."

The Ripple Effect

The slow progress affects thousands of aging survivors who may never see justice in their lifetime. Steve Larkin, chair of the Healing Foundation, points out that all survivors are now over 50 years old, and many have already passed away.

The urgency extends beyond individual stories. Better access to records could help more people like Hampson discover their true histories and reconnect with family. Fully funded, trauma-informed aged care could support survivors whose institutionalization trauma resurfaces as they age.

Julie Tongs, CEO of Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health Service, echoed the frustration many feel. "How many more royal commissions, reports, inquiries and reviews do we need before we start to implement the recommendations?" she asked after hosting a National Sorry Day gathering in Canberra.

The Australian government announced $2.6 million in new funding for 2026-2027, including support for the Healing Foundation and Link-Up services. It's a start, advocates say, but 78 recommendations still wait for action.

Despite decades of disappointment, Tongs remains hopeful that community leaders and organizations can drive change. "The only way for change to happen in this country is for us to all walk together side by side," she said.

For Hampson, connecting those dots about his past brought both pain and clarity, proof that truth matters no matter how long it takes to surface.