An 82-year-old Houston man, Louie George Pali, who went missing Monday is alive and resting safely at his son’s home, according to Pali’s daughter-in-law, Monica Atchison-Pali.
Pali was located Wednesday morning about 15 minutes from his home in the Oak Forest community near the 610 Loop and Ella Blvd. in Houston. While stopping to ask for directions to Ella Blvd., he was recognized and detained by a store clerk.
“He was so confused. The clerk recognized him from all the posts on the news and social media, and held him until we got there,” Monica said. “We are so grateful for people sharing his story.”
Since his return home, Monica said the family has learned that Pali spent the last two nights sleeping in his car, driving during the day in his search to find his home. One night was spent in the parking lot of an auto parts store.
Monica said Pali might have been confused about his location the last two days, but some memories are still very clear. When she and her husband, a veteran Houston police officer, arrived at the store to pick him up, Pali reportedly told his daughter-in-law, “Didn’t you have a birthday this week?” She answered, “Well, yes, I did.”
She believes he became confused on Monday while attempting to get to a doctor’s appointment. He showed up at his primary doctor’s office, only to be told that his appointment was elsewhere with a different doctor.
“He had gone to the wrong doctor’s office. They told him the right place to go, but he never made it there,” she said.
Now that he is back home, the family is taking precautions.
“He’s been living on his own. His wife died two years ago and this is the first incident that ever happened with him. We never had a concern,” Monica said. “He’s lived in that home for 60 years but now he is moving in with us.”
Pali has willingly handed over his car keys, she said.
“He said he doesn’t want to drive anymore. He said he wasn’t going to put himself through that again,” Monica said with a chuckle. “My thought was that he wasn’t going to put the family through that again.”
According to his daughter-in-law, Pali is not diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, but he has two siblings who suffer from Alzheimer’s disease, so Pali will soon undergo medical evaluation.
By Vanesa Brashier, editor@bluebonnetnews.com