The Elmhurst community breathed a collective sigh of relief late Thursday night after a missing 9-year-old boy was found safe. Nathan Forde, who vanished earlier that evening while riding his bike along the Illinois Prairie Path, was located in Glen Ellyn around 10 p.m., according to NBC Chicago. The Elmhurst Police Department confirmed that Nathan had last been spotted at 7:30 p.m., biking westbound on the trail from Spring Road.
The details surrounding Nathan's disappearance were scant, but he had been dressed distinctively in a blue Ralph Lauren t-shirt, blue cargo shorts, and multi-colored Crocs, riding a mid-sized Trex bicycle when he went missing. Having prompted a swift and urgent response from the local police, the search for the young boy was a moment when the community held its breath, caught in the wave of concern that sweeps over a neighborhood when one of its youngest members is nowhere to be found.
The Elmhurst Police made no immediate comment on the specifics of Nathan's discovery, maintaining a focus on the positive outcome of the situation. The lack of information nonetheless left room for questions; the whereabouts of the child during those tense hours remained a mystery, which was not elaborated upon by the authorities. Those who found themselves caught up in the whirlwind of worry were simply relieved to hear the news shared by the CBS News Chicago that Nathan was safe.
Prior to Nathan being found, the Elmhurst police had urged the public to report any sightings of the missing child by calling 911 immediately, a call to action that exemplifies a community's inherent impulse to rally, to support, and to look out for one another in times of need.
