The ordeal of 83-year-old Patrick Bailey, who disappeared after his flight from Orlando to Oregon was canceled, has come to an end. Bailey, who had been missing for over a week, was located safe and sound in California on Sunday, his family confirmed, according to WFTV.
Anastasia Quanbeck, Bailey's daughter, told Channel 9 that after his flight was grounded due to a widespread communication outage caused by CrowdStrike, Bailey made a spur-of-the-moment decision to return home by bus. "In the days after his flight from Orlando, Florida to Medford, Oregon was cancelled due to a widespread communication outage, our father decided to return home by bus and began the long journey back without realizing anyone would be worried about his whereabouts. He is healthy and in good spirits," Quanbeck stated in a report by WFTV.
Earlier reports from WESH 2 indicated that Bailey had been silent since checking out of his hotel the morning following the flight cancellation. Louisiana police had picked up on a lead on Saturday, though specifics weren't disclosed then. The following day the family relayed the good news of Bailey's safety, saying he was in California and had been traveling without his cell phone, which he accidentally left at the hotel lobby.
Quanbeck acknowledged the Orlando Police Department, Crescent City Elks Lodge #1689, and media members who played a role in locating Bailey. She also recognized the thousands who took to social media to assist the family during this stressful period.
