FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Fayetteville Police Department took to social media to say officers were searching for a man with Alzheimer's disease that walked away from his home Wednesday, Feb. 16.
65-year-old Tony Joab was found thanks to a tip from a pre-k student. It's believed that Joab walked away from his home on Woodsprings Drive Wednesday between 7 a.m. and noon. Police say he could have been disoriented and didn't have a phone or vehicle. Authorities probed the area by ATV, knocking on doors, and searching nearby trails for any signs of Joab. Members of the Fayetteville Police Department and fire department were part of the search.
“Just with my eyes, I saved his life,” said 5-year-old Ezekiel McCulley.
Officers came knocking on Ezekiel McCulley’s door a little after 6:00 last night asking if his family has seen the man. That’s when he told police he saw him during recess.
“I gave them all the descriptions I knew about him and they went out and I told them that it was in the woods and they went out into the woods and they found him,” he said.
Brittany McCulley says she really commends the officer for bending down and listening to him. She says a few hours after that the officers knocked on their door again asking if they could take a picture with Ezekiel because his tip led them to find Joab. She says they are very proud of their son.
“It gave us all chills. We were just sitting there in disbelief, I mean it was totally unforeseen. It was amazing. It’s just indescribable…I mean you want your kids to be heroes, to be in positions like that but you never imagine it actually happening,” she said.
Fayetteville Police went to Happy Hollow Elementary this morning where Ezekiel goes to school to thank him. They presented him with badges, a firefighter hat and brought his entire class cookies.
“I think it’s not just a good lesson to kids in that class but the community, in general, to keep their eye out because you never know, something you might see that is insignificant at the time may lead to saving someone’s life or help a family that’s in need. And that family definitely was and they are very thankful,” said SGT. Anthony Murphy.
Fayetteville Police will also be giving Ezekiel an award at their banquet next month.
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