If one is to recall the familiar adage that “a picture is worth a thousand words” then the image of five family members joyfully taking a family stroll down the colorful streets of Las Vegas, Nevada is certainly one worth a thousand words and then some. For this is the picture of a Father named Damien, his beautiful son Nate, an egg donor named Timor, her mother Anna and of course, Damien’s devoted best friend, his dog Bobo. Perhaps an unfamiliar ensemble to some but the story of Damien’s journey of becoming a father may have stemmed from unconventional beginnings but it was shortly to form a solid foundation of family. His adventure as an intended parent was also to produce a profound effect on his professional life since it was the genesis of NewGen Families, a modern, friendly and inclusive surrogacy agency that Damien launched in 2021. Based in Las Vegas, Nevada, NewGen Families guides fellow intended parents through every step of the exciting process of welcoming a newborn baby to one’s family.
Damien always knew that his lifelong dream was to be a father. Like many others in a similar situation, he searched several options that included adoption and surrogacy but, as Damien explains, the uphill battle of overcoming Australian bureaucracy seemed an almost impossible task at the time: “One of the many obstacles that I encountered in my native Australia was that altruistic surrogacy does not solve the issue that there are far more intended parents than there are surrogates. That is why so many Australians are forced to seek international commercial surrogacy options”. Not to be deterred, Damien sorted options in the United States as he gathered information ready to embark on the journey towards becoming a father. However, it was while on vacation in Israel that a chance encounter with a young and beautiful woman by the name of Timor was to forever change his life for the better.
It was a casual evening. A close group of friends had gathered at a beachside restaurant to enjoy a late-night supper. Damien started chatting to an outgoing and free-spirited woman sitting adjacent to him who coincidently was a friend of his overseas travel buddy. Like many of his conversations during this period, Damien began to explain to Timor his dream of being a father and the obstacles that he had faced as an intended parent when searching for an egg donor. Overwhelmed by Damien’s passion to become a parent and raise a child, Timor was ready to entertain the idea of donating her eggs in order to make his dream come true. However, before she could commit, she wanted to discuss her intention to help Damien with her mother with whom she is extremely close. Damien was invited to Timor’s home the following evening to share a meal and meet her family.
If Damien felt an instant connection with Timor, he most certainly did with her mother Anna for it soon became abundantly clear from where Timor’s generosity of spirit undoubtedly stems. “Anna is such a free spirit”, Damien’s face lights up when describing his son’s new Grandmother, “and always so positive and full of life”. A protective mother and now a devoted Grandmother, Anna has embraced her new role with full force and never shies away from offering Damien advice as she lovingly contributes to his family. “I look up to Anna so much. She has taught me many parenting lessons. She has changed my life. We are more than just friends; we are family and I love her as if we shared the same blood”. Timor not only inherited her mother’s beauty but also her passion for life and connectivity. Damien comes from a place of sincere gratitude when he recalls how the impact of becoming a parent changed his professional life: “The selfless acts of Timor donating her eggs and Evie, who was our surrogate carrying my son, inspired me to help other families who are desperate to become parents”.
Damien’s journey as an intended parent has ultimately been one of love, perseverance and a desire to make his dreams come true. Becoming a father was so rewarding that it inspired him to change his profession and devote his life to surrogacy: “I knew instantly that I wanted to help intended parents achieve their dreams. I saw so many ways where the surrogacy journey
could be improved”. Navigating through the complex journey of surrogacy was often extremely challenging for Damien: “I remember how overwhelming it seemed while trying to understand and make decisions on complex matters throughout the various surrogacy milestones in a foreign land with its own laws, medical protocols and healthcare and insurance systems and I knew that so many fellow intended parents also shared the same experience. It was from my experience that NewGen Families was born”. NewGen Families’ mission is basically grounded in a greater purpose and that is to help create families for every intended parent regardless of their race, gender, sexual orientation or relationship status.
When Damien answered a call to be an ambassador in assisting intended parents in fulfilling their dreams and building new and beautiful families, his goal was simple and clear: “My goal is always for NewGen’s community to come together and inspire one another, build trust with one another and create hope for future families”. As a result, NewGen Families’ Core Values of TRUST, HOPE & INSPIRATION were established as the agency’s website beautifully encapsulates the NewGen Families ethos.
NewGen Families is truly a brand of trust, hope and inspiration. It is more than an agency; it is a family whose members believe in the power and beauty of bringing intended parents and surrogates together to build loving families. Damien and his devoted team of professionals with each member working at the pinnacle of their profession and hailing from various corners of the globe, have managed to build tailored programs to provide exceptional levels of service and support to intended parents, donors and surrogates from the very beginning of their journey until a family is complete. Each family is unique, and each surrogacy journey carries many stories. To embrace surrogacy is to embrace both a conventional family and in Damien’s case, an unconventional one. Either way, what remains abundantly clear is that for those wishing to embark on the surrogacy journey with NewGen Families, they will be rewarded with a new and beautiful addition to their family, a child.
