A man who was rescued from a Southern California dumpster as an infant has been reunited with his birth father after 25 years, thanks to the Santa Ana police officer credited with once saving his life.

Robin Barton's adoptive family only recently told him his infamous origin story: that he was left to die in a dumpster until his rescuer discovered him and resuscitated him.

Barton, known as Baby "Adam" in the news reports surrounding the 1989 rescue, was barely breathing when officer Michael Buelna found him in Santa Ana. Buelna was investigating a stabbing in the area when neighbors waved him down, saying they'd heard a baby crying.

Barton, now 25, and Buelna reunited earlier this week. "When I first met him, it was slightly overwhelming. But it was just a wonderful moment," Barton said.

Barton said he and Buelna caught up on each other's lives when they reunited.

In their meeting, Barton mentioned that he was looking for his birth mother, who served time in prison for abandoning her child and was eventually deported.

Bartone hoped his mother might hear the story of his reunion with his rescuer and find him. Instead, news reports caught the attention of Barton's birth father, Marcos Meza, who'd been looking for him for years.

On Sunday, they finally met, along with two of Barton's five sisters. The reunion was thrilling, he told NBC4.

"Shock and awe, joy, happiness. I'm just overwhelmed," Barton said.

He was able to speak with his mother as well by phone, he said -- Santa Ana police said she was deported to Mexico after being released from prison.

Sunday morning, Barton was able to pose for pictures with both of his fathers -- all thanks to the police officer who stopped what he was doing when residents told them they'd heard a baby crying.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.