Unconscious Alzheimer’s patient found more than 1,000 miles from home

An elderly Washington state man with Alzheimer's was found lying about a mile away from his abandoned vehicle Wednesday, Cedar Valley, Utah, March 9, 2016 | Photo by Carin Miller, St. George News

CEDAR CITY – A 70-year-old Washington state man with advanced Alzheimer’s was found unconscious in the middle of a dirt road in Cedar Valley near the area of 4600 W. 4000 North early Wednesday.

Cedar City Water Conservancy District workers found the man, said Iron County Sheriff Mark Gower.

“He was already suffering hypothermia when they found him,” Gower said.

Family members reported the elderly man missing and in danger nearly two weeks ago to Washington state authorities.

Despite the man’s frail mental state, he managed to make it more than 1,000 miles without incident from his home in Washington to Southern Utah.

Law enforcement and family members had been tracking the man’s journey through Nevada, parts of Salt Lake City and into Southern Utah by monitoring his bank account purchases, Gower said. Until now, he managed to stay one step ahead of them.

The man’s Jeep was found parked about a mile away from where he was lying in the road. Gower said it is unclear why the man left his vehicle.

When the water conservancy employees found the man, they called 911 and covered him with blankets.

“His core temperature got down to 82 degrees,” Gower said. “And that’s tough on an elderly gentleman.” 

Gold Cross Ambulance transported the man to Valley View Hospital in Cedar City.

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Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2016, all rights reserved.

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1 Comment

  • sagemoon March 10, 2016 at 9:36 am

    I hope this man recovers well.

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