‘Thank you Toronto police’: Family overjoyed after missing elderly man found safe by crossing guard
Posted April 10, 2024 1:10 pm.
Last Updated April 11, 2024 6:39 pm.
Toronto police say a 76-year-old man who was reported missing on Tuesday from North York has been found safe.
He was last seen at 12 p.m. in the Torbarrie Road and Sheppard Avenue West area, and was later spotted in the area of Ellesmere Road and Victoria Park Avenue.
Police tell CityNews he was found safely by a crossing guard on Thursday at around 4:20 p.m. in the Carlaw Street and Eastern Avenue and was “alert.”
According to police, he went for his usual walk Tuesday night and did not return home.
His daughters were overjoyed at the news, thanking the City of Toronto and Toronto Police for actively looking for their father.
“Thank you, Toronto police officers for all of your help everything you’ve done to help my family and we are so appreciative and we will be eternally grateful. Thank you so much, [you have] no idea how much this means to us … we’re so happy.”
He was evaluated as a precaution by emergency services before being reunited with his daughters.
Det. Jeff Bangild commended the crossing guard who recognized the man and alerted police right away.
“Everyone that we could possibly contact with regards to missing person was notified and those efforts [paid off] that he was located by a student crossing guard, making that observation to bring to the attention. So we cannot thank the public enough for their ongoing efforts to this and obviously that led to a successful conclusion.”
Bangild added the man being found was “miraculous” in part because of how far he travelled in the 48 hours he was missing.
