Here’s an amazing story in Collin County, where the power of social media and vigilant residents helped locate a missing man with special needs. NBC 5’s Maria Guerrero shares an exclusive story.
When Plano Police pleaded for help finding a missing young man with autism in early November, Karnea Dickerson perked up.
“Autism is special to me and I know that kids who are non-verbal can’t ask for help so it was very important to be vigilant,” she said.
Dickerson knows the rewarding yet challenging blessing of having a child with autism. Her 21-year-old son is non-verbal and on the spectrum.
She grew worried as the day passed with no word of the missing man.
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“I hope they find him alive. Really, that was my first reaction,” she said. “I hope they find him alive.”
She spotted a comment under the post from police indicating the young man likes to ride buses and immediately thought of her friend Bill Tristan.
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Tristan is an avid public transit rider and the father of a child with autism.
“I’m like, 'Bill rides the bus, this kid likes to ride the bus in Plano,' so that’s why I sent it to him so he could be on the lookout,” she said.
Incredibly, some 20 minutes after she shared the man’s picture with Tristan, “he texted and said, 'I spotted him!'”
Tristan alerted authorities who confirmed it was in fact the missing man.
Dickerson said it was a team effort.
“It was crazy! Mind-blowing,” she exclaimed. “The universe moving in the direction to save a young man’s life, because what else could explain it?”
Tristan reluctantly shared a photograph of himself for NBC 5’s report, clearly not looking for praise.
This case fortunately ended with the young man back home safe and sound, but as we well know that is not always the case.
A local program hopes to help in emergencies like this.
“’Take Me Home’ is a program we’ve had for a very long time now,” said Jennifer Chapman, spokesperson for the Plano Police Department.
Police in Pensacola, Florida, developed the program that allows Plano families to complete a form with vital information on loved ones with special needs or those with dementia or Alzheimer’s.
The information is uploaded and accessible to police, along with a photograph of the individual, “so that when we do come into contact with them or they are missing, there’s things we can know about them prior to,” said Chapman.
In this case, the missing man was not registered with ‘Take Me Home,’ according to police who searched for him for two days.
“From the detectives to the patrol officers to the dive team we brought in, we really searched for him and you ultimately as an officer you think the worst,” said Chapman. “We are so thankful for our community that loves and supports each other.”
Dickerson said she still gets emotional thinking about what happened.
“If you see a post of a missing child, adult, elderly person, share it,” she said. “You never know who it could reach and it can make just the biggest difference in someone’s life. I made a difference and it’s just the most amazing feeling you can have.”
She is grateful to learn about the "Take Me Home" program and that her quick thinking helped.
“It makes me emotional,” she said. “Because, I hope that if my child was missing, someone would take the time to help look for him.”
