An 83-year-old man who went missing while on a short walk near his family home five days ago has been found alive, Toronto police say.
Domingos Martins, who suffers from Alzheimer’s, was last seen around 4:30 p.m. on the afternoon of July 28 in the area of Jane Street and Highway 401.
He left his home to embark on a short walk near Pelmo Park Public school but never came home.
His children and grandchildren launched an increasingly frantic search for him, issuing appeals on television and offering a reward.
Toronto paramedics say he was located near 135 Wendell Avenue on Wednesday morning at 10:21 a.m., approximately 1,200 metres away from where he was last seen.
He was in serious condition and rushed to a hospital for treatment. He was conscious and breathing when he was found. Authorities later said he remained in hospital in critical condition.
Police say video evidence helped officers track down the missing elderly man and Supt. Ron Taverner noted that hundreds of volunteers assisted investigators in the search as well as Martins' family.
"We are very, very happy about what has transpired here," Taverner told CP24 Wednesday.
"I can’t say enough about the officers that were involved in the investigative piece, the search piece... The family was unbelievable."
Martins' daughter-in-law Samantha said her family is "very relieved" and "very happy" that he has been found.
"I know he is in very bad condition but at least he is breathing and we found him," she said.
