A 39-year-old man from Garies is back home safe and sound after he went missing in Cape Town.
Lewis Styles, who previously suffered two strokes, had boarded a bus on 8 November to Cape Town from East London and was supposed to take another bus to Garies, but did not arrive at his destination.
Residents in Steenberg and Retreat found him wandering the streets after he was robbed and assaulted, and he ended up at Retreat Day Hospital.
Residents had recognised Styles from a Facebook post made by his mother, Vanessa Schoeman, which was shared by missing persons group Track n Trace.
The police were contacted and Track n Trace’s Jeremy Carelse jumped into action.
Carelse says: “I arranged to meet with the police officer in Cape Town who had fetched him in the Steenberg and Retreat community.
“I noticed that he was very confused and afraid of people.
“He had been assaulted so badly it looked like his nose was almost broken.
“He had been sleeping on the streets when the community began to ask who this man was.”
He says Styles was returned home to Garies that same day.
Carelse says: “I was placed in contact with his mother who arranged the bus ticket and I waited with him the whole day until he boarded the bus.
“We made sure that he was fed because he was very hungry and his mother also provided snacks for the bus.
“Due to him having had the stroke, he was unable to speak properly and I had to gain his trust.”
When the Daily Voice attempted speaking with Styles before his bus departed, he just said: “Help my, ek wil na mamma toe gaan.”
A grateful Vanessa thanked Carelse and his team: “This is a fantastic team who went above and beyond to help get my son home.”
genevieve.serra@inl.co.za