My cousin Aaron left his home very early on September 5th and has not been seen or heard from by our family since.
Aaron was diagnosed with schizophrenia approximately 15 years ago. He's 35 now.
He had been hospitalized a month before after being found unresponsive at his home where the doctors believed he had a seizure and may have been like that most of a day before he was found. His liver and kidneys had nearly shut down, but they got him going again, mostly, and after nearly a week in the hospital, he had gone home.
His Mom was supposed to take him back to the doctor on the 5th to have tests for his liver function again, to make sure everything was still getting better, however, his Mom could not make contact with him that morning, went to his home, where she found he and his car were gone, but his phone and his dog were still there. Of course, that was not the norm for him. He had really not wanted to go back to the hospital and may not have needed to stay, but it is now wondered if he left originally because he did not want to go.
That is only a guess.
This photo was taken from a sheriff's body cam in a city about 37 miles away that same day. The family didn't know this at the time. They were searching everywhere locally, his favorite hangouts, friends, anywhere anyone could think to look.
It wasn't till a couple of days later, after a Silver Alert was entered, that the sheriff's office there, contacted the sheriff's office here to let them known he had been seen there that day and that they had found his car since.
They said he had been walking down the road in a rural neighborhood and someone had reported him as a suspicious person. The sheriff had gone out to investigate it. He had provided his ID, told them he was just walking around and because there was no reason to do otherwise, they let him carry on.
They found his car on the side of the road later, out of gas, window down. It appears that when it ran out of gas, he just got out and started walking. He didn't indicate to the sheriff that he needed help or had any kind of issue.
Much later the family retrieved his car and brought it home. I live in a small house next to my Uncle, his Grandfather and I can see the car out my kitchen window daily, but I would be thinking of him and praying daily for his safe return or at least that wherever he is, that it would be revealed if a safe return cannot happen, even if I didn't have that constant reminder.
When Aaron was on his meds, he was balanced enough to live alone and take care of himself mostly. The meds though made him feel a bit dull and energyless, so he would sometimes not only tire of them, but decide he did not really have an issue and he would stop taking them. I understand this is fairly common with people who have schizophrenia.
When off his meds, he had lots of energy, was most of the time pretty happy, but his mind was scattered and he would whisp along in another world of his on. Unfortunately, that inner world didn't mesh well with the real world functions. The doctors had told his mom that every time that happened, even though going back on the meds would help, he may not come back to the same level as before, so over the years, it has been a constant quest to try to keep him on them.
He has always wanted what many want, to have a good life, get married and have children of his own..... which has never happened. What a struggle he has had, just trying to get by... .just wanting to be "normal".
It's been a heart wrenching time for the family, especially for his mom, dad and brother since he's been missing.... as you can only imagine.
Of course everyone is hoping for the best, but at the same time knowing the final outcome may not be a happy one. His health was already diminished physically and of course without his meds for so long, if he were still alive, he would probably not make much sense to anyone his path might cross.
Aaron has always been very nice to me and acted happy to see me whenever I saw him. Pretty much a gentle soul. Although I'm afraid he may no longer be alive, until the final bell, I always leave a window open for miracles.
You never know what a day will bring, so make sure to let your family and friends know you love them along the way.
It's Sunday and later I will go out to Mom's for a visit. It is 51 degrees right now and may get up to 59 today. Brrrr..... I know, not freezing or the such, but still.... I can't like it ! I don't like to have to wear jackets, shoes, heavier clothes and the such. It IS sunny out though and there's a very very clear blue sky. I think it will be a good day.....but it WILL get dark to soon as today is the first day going off daylight savings time here in NC. BOOoooOooooOoOOOoo,..... I can't like that either.
Am I so whiny or what ?? LOL.....
Hope you are all doing well and that your hearts are happy.
{{{{ hugs }}}}
Jacey
Hope wherever he is ,would be safe and healthy.
Thank you so much.
We are hoping for that too.
This is sadly very common behavior when dealing with this specific type of mental illness. A very touching story and I sincerely hope there is a happy ending here 🧡
Thank you !
Through the years I had read and heard that too, about it being common to lots of folks with schizophrenia, so I understood when I would hear about or see the struggles along the way with the meds.
It never crossed my mind though, that one day he might just disappear. I guess it's good that you don't know in advance about every bad thing that may happen down the road. It would drive you mad.
My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. I hope he is fine and dandy and doing okay. I know this must be pretty hard on the family, and on him. We all have our hopes and dreams and they can be shattered in so many ways.
Thank you so much.
I thought about it within a week after he left, all the scenarios my imagination could come up with... maybe he got in with some hobos down at the tracks, or someone took him in or.... well.... lots of times wild things happen that you would never imagine.....
The county he was in originally is a rural county with thousands and thousands of acres of forest. I also wonder too, if he got lost in there and perished, if he would ever be found.
Time will tell of course, so we keep holding out for even the tiniest bit of hope that one day, he could actually be back with his family.
I know it is pretty much a crap shoot, but some, (lost family members), get found even if it is years late. You see in the papers and in movies about the people with dementia or Alzheimer, or mental issue getting found all the time. I do hope for the best for you and your family.
I know what you mean. I've seen some of those stories too !
You would just think if he was in a hospital or homeless shelter or something, that those folks would always be checking for missing persons.
There are SO many possibilities !
I am living with autism spectrum disorder (asd), and I am currently 29 years old, so I can understand it at some level, but I currently do not know much about schizophrenia.
I hope for (and wish) the best to you. Hopefully you will find him alive.
All the best again. Greetings from Hungary.
Thank you so much!
Growing up and living life, without any of those additional challenges is not always that easy, so I can not sufficiently imagine I am sure, what it is like to also have those extra obstacles to have to maneuver through and around every single day. I can only empathize the best I know how.
Hello to you in Hungary.
This is so sad. I will be thinking of him and hoping for his safe return as well. It is a very complicated disease. One of my sister-in-laws is schizophrenic and is currently in an institution. She unfortunately is not as peaceful of a soul as your cousin.
These days certainly are short now. I think some hot chocolate and a good book are in order.
Thank you !
Well.. .I'm sure his mind is not peaceful unmedicated, scrambled, fast and wild. Life is hard enough without such things. I can't even imagine..
Hot chocolate and a book.... the mental picture of that is sure inviting.
I am so sorry, El. I cannot imagine living in his mind, or even having to be on medication that makes you feel unlike yourself. Poor Aaron. I am happy they had a sighting of him and I have high hopes that God found a way to take care of him through this time.
As a mother, I can say that it is probably one of the biggest nightmares a parent can have, in his case, just not knowing is terrifying, but, I am praying for a good outcome. Please keep us updated and my thoughts and prayers to you, my friend.
Thank you Ms. D....
I have thought that through the years myself, how hard that must be, for him to nearly never have a moments mental piece. Every day, such a struggle !
I know sometimes people disappear and for me, I would be concerned for some of my young beautiful nieces that could get snatched by criminals or human trafficking and the such that you seem to hear about in the news nearly daily now, but never imagined one of my kin just walking away and disappearing.... poof
....and like I said above.....I'm leaving room for miracles !
I always do ❤ I have seen them with my own eyes.
Him and his family are in my prayers. I hope grandpa is doing okay.
Me too ! So many in fact.
Thanks again and Grandpa is doing well as far as I can tell. You don't get up in your 80somethings without going through some hard things and heart aches. You live, even when sometimes for a few moments, you don't know how you can.
Fortunately there is a lot of good and beautiful in-between to refill our hope. 💛
Well, I'm glad he has you next door!
I believe he will be found strong healthy and in good health @jacey.boldart
We are trying to keep hope for that.
Thank you !
I certainly hope he is found to be well and just living with a friend. We can always hope.
Btw we are 65 and sunny here. You better move north for the warm weather LOL
We're hoping that too !
I think I'll stay down here where I am, because I know before long, MI is going to drop well below temps we normally ever see here. Not jumping out of THIS frying pan into THAT fire....LOL
Such a touching post I will add him to my prayers that he is safe and found soon his mother especially but all the family must be so stressed by him being missing
As for the cold similar temperatures here bee we low freezing overnight and a high of 55 and as I am getting older I feel the cold so much more
Thank you ! The more prayers the merrier... well... you know what I mean. All prayers certainly appreciated.
Most days it seems a little surreal. All through life you see stories on the news and the net and everywhere, where someone has gone missing in some way. You understand it is true and can happen, but you can't really fathom it happening exactly in your own family or extended family.
I've never been a lover of cold weather. Sure as a child it was worth it for some snow to play in occasionally, but other than that, I could do without it myself. It is kind of funny how it does change with age. I don't like being cold. It doesn't feel good to me !
That’s what I was thinking about him being missing reading about it is touching but we can’t really relate to the feelings you must all be experiencing
Thank you ! I certainly appreciate your support. ❤️
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It's quite unfortunate Aaron is passing through all these medical conditions. Thank God he was later found. I think he needs adequate love and care as it is. His can still be better than he has always been. He needs to be encouraged. Nothing will happen to him provided there's faith and proper medication. Whenever he's feeling so weak after taking his medication, he should be allowed to rest and such med shouldn't be too constant for him to regain back his strength.
It's really touching and i hope he gets better soon. Thanks to the sheriffs as well. Do have a wonderful moment @jacey.boldart
Thank you for your comment and concern.
Unfortunately, he has not yet been found.
I did think it was incredibly fortunate that the sheriff had taken a photo of him so there was not question that it was really Aaron they had seen that day he left. Otherwise the family might think he was still here local.
Every day there is new hope.
Yeah, the new hope will definitely materialize Aaron's existence someday. You'll all get to see him again.