The City of Ann Arbor came together in an exemplary display of community spirit and concern following the disappearance of 82-year-old Ralph Yang, who was reported missing after not returning from his usual walk on Monday evening. According to ClickOnDetroit, Yang, a former University of Michigan professor, was found Wednesday before 9 p.m. by a volunteer in the 25000 block of Newport Road, healthy enough to communicate at the scene before being transported to the University of Michigan Hospital.
Ann Arbor police Chief Andre Anderson lauded the public's response, with their assistance proving crucially instrumental in locating Yang, who had been missing for a daunting 48 hours. "The community has been really concerned and really helpful," Anderson said in a statement obtained by ClickOnDetroit. Driven by a history of dementia and Parkinson's disease, possibly contributing to his disappearance and exacerbated by inclement weather conditions, the community's sense of urgency and collaboration was tangible.
Ongoing search and rescue efforts were meticulously coordinated, with the Ann Arbor Police Department even deploying their Community Partnership and Outreach Team, alongside ground searches and the assistance of Michigan State Police helicopters. The multi-pronged approach underscored the commitment by various entities to bring Yang home safely. According to information shared by the Ann Arbor PD with WWJ Newsradio, this structured effort involved launching two search parties that initially started with 60 people but saw the numbers swell to over 200 overnight.
The heartwarming resolution came when a volunteer, with a dog named Dolly, helped to locate Yang through some thick brush near a creek, off Newport Road. "There was a creek that ran through there, and (he) located Mr. Yang who was partially responsive, partially unresponsive, kind of laying down in the creek. And our officers were able to get down there," Sergeant Mark Pulford told WWJ Newsradio in an interview. Subsequently, dramatic bodycam footage emerged which depicted officers navigating the terrain to rescue Yang—a poignant testament to the diligent efforts of all parties involved, as reported by WXYZ.
