Alzheimer man walked away from home

November 13, 1998 Webster Trail 1998-022

An elderly gentlemen suffering from Alzheimer's Disease wandered from a residence in Idyllwild. About 6:00pm, RMRU was called in to conduct a search. Because the subject was elderly, lightly clothed, and had no light source, the situation was serious. The residence was not far from the edge of town, which meant the subject could easily venture into rugged national forest terrain and be hopelessly lost. At about midnight, the team located the subject. He had in fact managed to walk several miles, and was off trail in a rugged brush and forested area not far from Webster Trail. The man had suffered no serious injuries and was only cold and slightly dehydrated...otherwise in good condition. Strong enough to walk, the Team escorted him to a dirt road for transport.