A 90-year-old World War Two veteran and Alzheimer’s sufferer, who went missing on Sunday, was found lost and robbed of his belongings in Anderson Street on Monday evening.
His family suspects that Mr Bill Ashton, a member of the Mpumalanga MOTHS, simply wanted to go to town, but due to the severity of his condition, probably forgot where he was or how to get home.
Ashton was found near the bus terminus in the city centre.
He had been robbed of all his belongings, but could not tell anyone what had happened because he could not remember anything.
He was not harmed during the ordeal.
“He has dementia and early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, plus he suffers from severe glaucoma so he cannot see much,” said his daughter, Ms Tracey Ashton.
His friends, who live in the same complex, told me he locked himself out of the complex for the first time this weekend on Saturday, probably because he had forgotten his keys inside. Apparently he stood in the rain for quite a while before someone saw him and opened the gate.
On Sunday afternoon, his friends noticed that they had not seen Bill and he was not answering the door. Members of Hi-Tech Security Nelspruit were called to open his house with their master key.
“We entered his house and saw his glasses and watch were still in his room, but Bill was nowhere to be found,” said operations manager of Hi-Tech Security Nelspruit, Mr Nico Grobler.
We alerted all our units to look for him but we could not locate him.
Friends and other residents became worried and took to social media for help. Ms Jacqui Tournois, a member of Guardian Angels Nelspruit, who has been looking after Ashton, told Nelspruit Post that his friends started a Whatsapp group and posted notices on Facebook.
“It is incredible how quickly the plea became public and how members of the community just united to find him.”
Nelspruit Post could not determine who had found Ashton, but could confirm that he was found unharmed on Monday afternoon in this dangerous part of the city.
Nelspruit Post could not determine who had found Ashton, but could confirm that he was found unharmed on Monday afternoon in this dangerous part of the city.
“My father lives in a complex for the elderly, but they do not have frail-care facilities,” Ashton’s daughter said. “Because our family lives scattered across the country, we cannot visit him as often as we’d like. That is why we have decided to place him in a retirement centre in White River, where he can receive all the care and attention he needs.”
The Ashton family would like to thank all the community members, without whose initiative and dedication, Ashton would not be found, as well as Hi-Tech Security Nelspruit for their valuable work.
http://nelspruitpost.co.za/208129/alzheimers-sufferer-robbed-when-lost-in-the-city/ATTACK
