Santa Barbara Teacher Gives Gift Of Life Through Surrogacy

Two men from across the pond are feeling especially thankful this holiday season.

Bridget Cathie, a local teacher at the Montessouri Center School, gave birth to twins Monday night — a boy and a girl — 5 lb 12 oz Adelaide and 5 lb 9 oz Ernie.

That alone is cause for great celebration but what makes these births even more special is that Bridget acted as a surrogate to help create a family for Richard and Aiden, a gay couple from London.

The couple flew in Tuesday night to LAX and drove up to Santa Barbara to meet their twin newborns.

“It’s Thanksgiving this month in this country. We’re grateful. Very happy to be parents,” said Aidan. “Bridget .. exceptional. An absolute champion of a woman and mother and friend as well.”

Cathie said a friend battling leukemia years ago introduced her to the idea of surrogacy when she couldn’t have a child of her own. It took Cathie ten years and the births of her own three children — between the ages of nine and four — before she and her husband Ross were ready to take on the challenge.

“It was a good time to try this journey and see what would come of it,” said Cathie. “So I filled out the paperwork to make a profile. Luckily, Richard and Aidan chose me to carry their babies.”

One of the fathers acted as the donor, however, they did not want to reveal which one.

The two families plan to keep in touch.