Abandoned Boy at St. Patrick's Reunited With Grandparents

It's the dramatic reunion the whole country has been waiting for.

The little boy abandoned at America's most famous church, St. Patrick's cathedral in New York City, goes home to Florida with his grandparents. And only INSIDE EDITION was there for the emotional moment.

INSIDE EDITION's Les Trent asked the grandparents, "What are you feeling now?"

"Joy and relief," said the grandparents.

There were big smiles as three-year-old Nathaniel Fons was carried out of a child welfare center in Daytona Beach by his grandparents, Don and Freida Fons.

"He's back home," said Don.

A stuffed Mickey Mouse and armloads of toys were waiting as Nathaniel was put in a car seat and driven to a nearby hotel. The adorable little boy couldn't stop laughing back in his grandparents's hotel room.

Trent asked, "Do you think he has any idea what's happened?"

"I hope not," said Freida.

Nathaniel was flown back to Florida and placed in the temporary custody of his grandparents more than one week after he was abandoned inside St. Patrick's with a note in his hand.

The drama began when Nathaniel's mother was arrested on counterfeiting charges in Florida, where his father is already in prison. At a custody hearing Friday, Nathaniel's mom, wearing an orange prison jumpsuit, waved and mouthed 'I love you' to him in the courtroom.

Police say a couple, friends of Nathaniel's mom, took the little boy and drove 1,000 miles to New York where they ditched him at St. Patrick's.

His grandparents were forced into the media spotlight when they flew to New York to get their grandson back. For the past week they've been doing everything possible to bring Nathaniel home.

As Nathaniel played happily with his new toys, his grandparents told me they've been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support.

Now his grandparents say they're there to offer the boy abandoned at St. Patrick's the security and love every little boy needs.