He had been working in Nashville, Tennessee and was headed home to North Augusta, Georgia. They were sending him to work in Columbia, South Carolina. He was so excited that he would be able to see Mama on her birthday, 12 April and had planned to take her out to eat on that Sunday.
Mama called me at work on Saturday, 12 April, 2008 very upset. Don had not called her yet. She had last spoke to him at 7:56 p.m. the night before. He had told her he was having problems with his cell phone and that he would be home in a little bit, he’d call her when he got home.
That call never came.
When she got off work on Saturday, he had still not called so she drove down to his apartment from her home in Honea Path, South Carolina. Not only was his car not there, there was no evidence he had been in the apartment.
She contacted the local law enforcement and filed an “Overdue Motorist Report”. The Missing Persons-NCIC had to be filed in Tennessee.
When I left work I filed the Missing Persons-NCIC here in Tennessee.
On Sunday, my estranged husband, his girlfriend, and his parents all rallied at Mama’s house. We all know that Don would never miss a day calling his Mama nor would he, under any circumstances, not call her on her birthday. She had turned seventy-one by searching for her only son.
At some point that day they loaded up David and Diane in one car and Mama and Bob (David, my estranged husband’s Father) in another and headed back to North Augusta.
David and Diane drove down I-20 to Atlanta checking for possible wreck sites along both sides of the interstate.
Since Don had left Tennessee I had the number twenty-three stuck in my head. David made a special effort at every incidence of that number. It would be later before the significance came out. (Don was born on the 23rd of December.)
On Sunday night at eleven, the CBS affiliate, WRDW, in Augusta, Georgia carried a news report on Don’s disappearance. We wish to thank them for doing so.
By this time we had contacted the FBI, Tennessee Law Enforcement, Georgia State Patrol, Aiken County South Carolina Law Enforcement and anyone else we thought might could help.
Until you have been in this situation you can nver understand the thoughts that enter your mind. All the most terrible scenarios are the only ones that enter and linger.
On Monday, 14 April, 2008 we finally located him. A lady from the financial office of the hospital, Grady Memorial, called Don’s work and asked if he was there! His supervisor questioned the lady and discovered that he had been admitted on Friday, 11 April, 2008 after a car wreck and she wanted to know if he had medical insurance.
Don had been in a head on collision.
He is doing better. He had his second surgery on 23 April 2008 and has a long road to full recovery.
The doctors had to put a plate in his hip. The injuries are: right leg broken in four places, left leg broken in three places, left knee busted up badly (it appears, the keys on his key ring went into his knee), pelvic bone broken, one kidney bruised, laceration to the top of his head requiring seven staples.
I had to cancel the NCIC Missing Persons Report as for some reason, he was never matched to it.
We thank all those that have gone so far above and beyond to help us-Grady Memorial Hospital Staff, The Members of the Hodges Church of God, The Bob Harvley Family, the Staff of Quality Hotel on Luckie Road in Atlanta, Georgia, the Staff of Quality Inn of Dickson, Tennessee, Staff of The Hot Spot Honea Path, South Carolina and all the members of the immediate family and friends.
I will blog about Don as he progresses through his recovery.
You can click in the "TAG" list (left lower sidebar) to see all posts regarding him.
Here are a few pictures of this very special man Grandfather chose to be my brother:
My Nephew, Fred (Don's Dad), Don
Don with his daughter
Mama and Don
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