Relief has at last arrived for the family of a diabetic man who went missing over two weeks ago after being checked out of an Atlanta healthcare facility. Anthony Morgan, a 54-year-old diabetic amputee, is now confirmed safe, according to his relatives. FOX 5 Atlanta reported that Morgan had made contact with his family earlier today, reassuring them of his well-being. Before this much-needed update, Morgan had last been seen on December 2nd, when he was signed out of PruittHealth-Virginia Park for what was meant to be a temporary excursion to a college football tailgate.
The DeKalb County police had been urgently searching for Morgan following his mysterious disappearance, as he had to quickly come back by midnight but didn't, prompting concern and a missing persons report filed by the facility. Morgan, who relies on regular insulin medication, had been without this vital treatment since the day he left with John Bridges, a man the family claims they do not know despite Bridges signing Morgan out as "his uncle," according to a statement obtained by FOX 5 Atlanta. Morgan's niece, Chandra, spoke for the family, saying, "When [Bridges] came to pick [Morgan] up, he signed him out as ‘his uncle.’ As you can see, our family is here; we do not know Mr. Bridges." It was a detail that only deepened the mystery surrounding Morgan's absence.
The initial concern was not without cause. Standing at a towering 6-feet-2-inches tall and around 280 pounds with a prosthetic right leg, Anthony Morgan was not in any state to be without his necessary medical supplies, including his insulin. He had last been seen in a navy blue sweatsuit and black New Balance sneakers, carrying his walker—a stark contrast to the all-gray outfit the staff at the rehabilitation facility recalled, according to the initial police report. WSBTV relayed details about John Bridges, mentioning that he is also an amputee, missing his left hand, and was believed to be driving a white or light-colored Hyundai at the time.
Chandra Morgan painfully recounted to FOX 5 Atlanta how out of character this entire episode was for her uncle, saying, "For us to know that he needs insulin to make it throughout the day, or what not, it's hard." She highlighted the minutiae of his daily life, such as his habit of taking his charger everywhere and his love for her banana nut bread, which she insisted he would have sliced if he was planning to leave under normal circumstances. Thankfully, the heightened worry that he might be in a diabetic coma has been put to rest with the latest confirmation of his safety.
Nevertheless, the story behind the enigmatic John Bridges and the strange circumstances that led to Morgan’s unforeseen disappearance still remain largely unexplained. The family had no prior knowledge of Bridges and had not seen him before the fateful day he arrived, claiming kinship to check Morgan out of PruittHealth. Residents are encouraged to keep alert and anyone with information in regards to these puzzling events is still asked to reach out. Contact details have been provided by both DeKalb County Police, at 770-724-7734, and Chandra Morgan, at 770-334-5245, for anyone who can shed light on this unusual situation as reported by FOX 5 Atlanta and WSBTV.
