Aug 20, 2021

Hero policewoman finds missing dementia patient while searching on her day off

A missing 85-year-old man has been found alive and well after spending 30 hours in a ditch, thanks to a driven policewoman who spent her day off looking for him.

An 85-year-old man with dementia was found alive after spending the night in a 4.5 metre ditch. The man was located by a dedicated policewoman who spent her day off searching for the missing grandfather.

Joseph Hughes disappeared from a nursing home in the Welsh suburb of Porthcawl on Saturday afternoon.

Mr Hughes’ absence from the home was noticed later that afternoon when his son arrived for a visit but was unable to locate his father within the facility.

Mr Hughes’ son, nursing home staff and local authorities quickly launched a large-scale search effort, which ran all the way through the night and into the next morning, but unfortunately, the search failed to yield a result. 

Distressed family members continued their search efforts the following morning, as did a policewoman by the name of Amy who had been unable to stop thinking about the lost grandfather.

With hopes beginning to fade and legs beginning to tire, Amy’s loud calls of “Mr Hughes!” were eventually met with a response that appeared to have come from a ditch that was covered in thick foliage.

It was Mr Hughes. 

He had spent the entire night in the ditch wearing only a thin T-shirt and thin trousers.

Mr Hughes’ daughter-in-law, Linda, described the scenes to local reporters

“He’d not eaten or drank anything since 1pm the previous day and he wasn’t dressed for lying outside, he had trousers and a T-shirt on.”

“[Amy] said she got drawn to where [Mr Hughes] was. I called her ‘Amy the Angel’ because I think she was.”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

After five decades of care, this passionate nurse calls it a day!

Dedicated aged care Enrolled Nurse (EN) Cathy Buick has retired after an amazing 54 years of service, but her career was 100 years in the making stretching back to a village in Scotland. Read More

New type of depression medicine added to PBS for first time in 30 years

Hope on the horizon: a breakthrough nasal spray is now available on the PBS to support Australians who haven't found relief from traditional antidepressants. Read More

Day Trips & Dream Destinations: A Journey Through The Post-War Travel Evolution

Ever wonder how travel transformed lives before it became a global norm? Discover heartfelt stories of adventure and nostalgia, that show how holidays have evolved over the last 80-years. Read More
Advertisement