In an update that served as a collective sigh of relief for the Gastonia community, the Gastonia Police Department announced the safe recovery of Thomas Waterson, an 84-year-old local resident with dementia who had been missing since last night. According to the department's Facebook update, Waterson was found by EMS outside of the search area yesterday. The post expressed gratitude towards the public for their assistance, stating, "Thank you for the shares and concern."
Before the successful conclusion, a Silver Alert had galvanized the community’s efforts in locating Mr. Waterson. The original call for public assistance detailed his last sighting in Cherryville on the night at 8 pm. He was reported to have been driving a 2017 gold Ford Escape, notably bearing the signs of his condition – dementia. Standing at 5'10" and weighing approximately 130 pounds, the police had expressed an urgent need to locate the elderly man to ensure his safety.
Their dedicated front desk can be reached at 704-866-6702, prepared to field calls and coordinate further efforts to assist those in vulnerable positions.
