Orford Family’s Holiday Nightmare as 77-Year-Old Dad Goes Missing

Alanya: Rebecca O’Brien, 33, from Orford, had a real scare when her 77-year-old dad, Eddie, who has Alzheimer’s, went missing during their holiday in Turkey. It was back in September, and they were staying at a resort when he disappeared.

Rebecca said it was the scariest three hours of their lives. It was late, and her dad wasn’t familiar with the area. She quickly turned to social media, posting in local forums, and the security staff jumped into action, searching everywhere.

Thankfully, they found him about three miles away from the resort. When he was located, he had injuries, and the family still doesn’t know what happened to him. He had to go to the hospital and spent four days there, even having surgery on his finger.

Rebecca praised the hotel and hospital staff for their amazing support during this tough time. After returning to the UK, Eddie faced some challenges, including delirium and insomnia, and ended up back in Warrington Hospital for over five weeks.

He was later moved to Hollins Park, where the staff worked wonders to help him recover. Eddie was discharged just in time for Christmas, and Rebecca shared how much he had improved since then.

She expressed deep gratitude for the care her dad received, saying they wouldn’t have gotten him back to his old self without the help of the hospitals. Now, they’re looking forward to a better 2025, hoping to spend quality time with him.

Ali Kennah, the chief nurse at Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals, mentioned how their Forget Me Not Unit is dedicated to supporting people with dementia. It’s great to hear positive feedback from Eddie’s family after such a frightening experience.