Los Angeles, California – A family in California experienced a Thanksgiving miracle when they were reunited with a man who had been missing since 1999. The man was discovered 25 years later sitting on a curb in Los Angeles, identified by his sister through a photo in an online article.
The man’s disappearance in August of 1999 perplexed his family, as even his vehicle was never found. His older sister, who had been searching for him all this time, expressed her joy at finally finding her missing brother alive after seeing his photo in the online article. She created a GoFundMe page to raise funds for his medical transfer.
After recognizing her brother in the online article, the woman contacted the Lassen County Sheriff’s Department to report her belief. The article, which was published in USA Today in May, sought help from the public to identify a nonverbal man found in Lynwood, California, who had been discovered in South Los Angeles in April.
The man was reported missing from Doyle, a small California town near Reno, Nevada, and had not been heard from since his disappearance in 1999. Law enforcement authorities were able to positively identify him using fingerprints taken at the hospital where he had been transferred to in Los Angeles. The family is now eagerly awaiting their reunion after 25 years of separation.
The Nor-Cal Alliance for the Missing, a non-profit organization dedicated to advocating for missing individuals, celebrated the “long-awaited and miraculous reunion” in a press release. The organization had been working on the man’s case since 2016. The man, named Tommy, is now in the process of learning to walk again and is nonverbal.
In a heartfelt plea on the GoFundMe page, the sister shared that she lacks the funds to provide him with the necessary supplies for his care and recovery. She expressed a desire to send him a device to listen to his favorite songs, such as “Sailing,” “I Want to Know What Love Is,” and “Time After Time,” to help trigger his memory and receive responses.
Authorities in California are being contacted for further details about the man’s disappearance and how he ended up in the hospital, where he is currently receiving care. The heartwarming story of Tommy’s reunion with his family after 25 years of being missing has touched many, showcasing the power of hope and perseverance.