Overview

• Thaddeus Daniel Pierce was born in Knoxville on July 26, 2025, weighing 3 kilograms after being transferred at Rejoice Fertility Clinic.
• His embryo was frozen in 1994 and spent 11,148 days in liquid nitrogen before successful thaw and implantation, marking the longest-frozen embryo to yield a live birth.
• Donor Linda Archerd entrusted her unused embryos to the Snowflakes embryo-adoption program, allowing her to select Lindsey and Tim Pierce as recipients based on shared values.
• Of the three embryos donated, one failed to survive thawing and two were transferred, with just a single embryo implanting and developing into Thaddeus.
• The case highlights the need for clear policies governing an estimated 1.5 million surplus embryos in U.S. storage following a 2024 Alabama Supreme Court ruling equating frozen embryos with children.