A missing 75-year-old man suffering from Alzheimer’s has been found safe at a cottage that his family once owned in Midland.

Casto Filazzola was located by an OPP officer who went to the cottage on Tuesday afternoon at the request of Toronto police.

Filazzola had been missing since he disappeared from the Dundas Street West and Crawford Street area at around 7:45 a.m. Sunday.

“They literally started banging on doors where he used to have a family cottage and he answered. We are thrilled,” Det. Jessica McInnis told CP24 on Tuesday.

Filazzolla’s daughter Rosanna told CP24 that her father did not have any money on him and likely hitchhiked to the cottage.

Though the cottage is no longer owned by the family, Rosanna Filazzola said her father was the one who first built it and likely headed there because it was familiar to him.

“With Alzheimer’s and dementia they just regress, right? He knew what he was doing,” she said.

Filazzola was taken to hospital to be treated for minor dehydration but is otherwise fine.

“I am just happy he is alive and happy he is safe,” Rosanna Filazzola said. “I had feared the worst.”

Filazzola was located hours after police held a news conference to announce that they were stepping up their search for the elderly man.

At the time, Insp. Colin Greenaway said that police would use mounted units and marine patrols as part of their search.

“Casto does not have money with him, he doesn’t have identification with him and he hasn’t eaten in a day and a half,” Greenaway said.