Heartbroken granddaughter of man who flew 8k miles for college commencement & vanished day after touchdown makes pressing plea
THE granddaughter of a person who disappeared a day after he traveled greater than 8,000 miles for his grandson’s commencement has made an pressing plea for his return.
Elaine Westry, 19, begged anybody who sees the beloved patriarch to take him to the police and “give him again” because the seek for him has lasted almost two months.
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The seek for Reuben Waithaka, 73, launched after he walked out of his son’s residence in Calera, Alabama, on Might 15 and vanished whereas visiting from Kenya together with his spouse.
“It is like a nightmare,” Westry mentioned in an emotional dialog with The U.S. Solar.
“We have no solutions, so it is laborious to maneuver on and fall asleep, get up, do our factor, our day by day routines, not realizing the place he’s.”
Westry, who lives in Seattle, final noticed her grandfather when she visited Kenya in 2022.
She was trying ahead to being reunited with him on the household journey, and described their tight-knit relationship as one stuffed with jokes and telephone calls to catch up about faculty and life.
“Each time I grasp up the telephone, he is telling me to do not forget that my life is necessary and to not take my life without any consideration,” Westry mentioned.
“He provides robust love. However I would not have it every other approach.”
Waithaka and his spouse, Elizabeth Barua, flew over 18 hours for the commencement, touring from Nairobi to Frankfurt earlier than flying to Atlanta, the place that they had an almost three-hour drive to Calera.
“The flight was quite a bit for him,” Westry mentioned.
“The drive from Atlanta to Alabama was in all probability much more.”
Regardless of the tough journey, Waithaka was decided to be in attendance when his eldest grandson, Byron, graduated from highschool.
“This time he was like, ‘I’ve to go, it is my first grandson’s commencement,'” Westry mentioned.
However by the point Byron walked throughout the commencement stage six days later, Waithaka had disappeared.
“He simply bought right here. After which he was gone,” Byron informed CNN earlier this week.
Timeline of disappearance
The seek for Reuben Waithaka has lasted seven weeks as his household is determined for solutions. Beneath is a timeline of his disappearance:
Might 13 – Reuben Waithka and his spouse, Elizabeth, board a flight from Nairobi, Kenya. They then went by means of Frankfurt, Germany, to get to Atlanta.
Might 14 – Reuben and Elizabeth arrive in Calera, Alabama, after 18 hours of flying from Kenya.
Might 15 at 11:08 am – Reuben leaves his son’s residence sporting khaki pants and a plaid shirt.
Might 15 at 11:43 am – Reuben’s final confirmed sighting on CCTV footage at a fuel station two miles away from his son’s residence. Police later mentioned he was given a experience to the fuel station.
Might 21 – Reuben’s grandson graduates from highschool with out Reuben in attendance.
June 3 – Reuben’s household celebrates his 73rd birthday with out him.
June 20 – Elizabeth returns to Kenya.
Supply: CNN
On the morning of Might 15, the day after Waithaka and Elizabeth arrived in Calera, the grandfather walked out of his son’s residence with the household canine.
Then the canine returned to the house with out Waithaka, elevating alarm bells for the household — however he was already on the transfer.
GAS STATION FOOTAGE
After leaving the house, Waithaka hitchhiked twice earlier than arriving at a Chevron fuel station two miles away, Calera police mentioned.
CCTV footage confirmed Waithaka strolling throughout the fuel station’s car parking zone with a slight limp and together with his palms behind his again.
The video marks the final time Waithaka was seen earlier than he disappeared out the again door of the fuel station.
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Westry mentioned she could not watch the video with out turning into upset in regards to the two individuals who gave him rides.
“My response to it was, why would somebody choose up an previous man?” she mentioned.
“It simply makes me mad as a result of why would somebody choose him up and never take him to the police? After I see that video, you see him standing there. Take him to the police.”
Westry mentioned she might inform by his face within the footage that her grandfather was confused.
She continued, “I used to be simply very offended as a result of persons are supposed to assist individuals. When you see an previous man being confused, take him to the hospital. Take him to the police.”
“I do not perceive why my grandpa is not discovered but.”
She urged, “Whoever has my grandfather, give him again. Do not benefit from him.”
‘CONFUSED’ STATE
Waithaka’s household believes he’s disoriented and attempting to get again to Kiambu, the city in Kenya the place he lives.
His son, Willington Barua, informed CNN that Waithaka appeared confused and was behaving unusually agitated through the flight to Atlanta.
He then fell on an escalator within the Atlanta airport and harm his knee, explaining his limp within the surveillance video.
As soon as the vacationers arrived in Calera on Might 14, Westry mentioned he refused to enter his son’s home at first.
The household then took Waithaka to the hospital to ensure all the pieces was alright.
A CT scan of his head got here again regular, in addition to a few of his bloodwork, and he was discharged, Willington mentioned.
I hope he is consuming as a result of everytime I eat, everytime I sleep, I am similar to is he sleeping? Is he consuming? Is he okay? Is somebody taking good care of him?There’s so many questions that no person can actually give me the solutions to.
Elaine Westry
The following morning, regardless of his state of confusion, it wasn’t uncommon when Waithaka stepped outdoors for a stroll as a result of his household was used to him strolling in all places in Kenya, Westry mentioned.
Elizabeth tried to stroll behind him however circled to lock the doorways. When she circled, he was gone, she informed CBS affiliate WIAT.
Westry mentioned she thought her household was joking once they informed her Waithaka was lacking.
She arrived on the town the subsequent day and instantly helped to affix the search, however she will’t assist however really feel like she ought to have arrived earlier.
“I simply know if I used to be there, if I got here the identical time as them, this would not have occurred,” Westry mentioned.
“However you by no means know. So I do blame myself for lots of issues. However he actually needed to return, he actually did.”
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Waithaka does not have his passport with him or any US {dollars}.
When police tracked his Kenyan telephone, his final location confirmed he was in Frankfurt, probably which means his telephone was useless or on airplane mode.
The household has labored with the Calera Police Division to place up posters throughout Alabama asking for the general public to maintain a watch out for Waithaka.
“The search remains to be energetic. We’re following up on leads however as we strategy the 2 month mark the leads have slowed down significantly,” Calera Police Chief David Hyche informed The U.S. Solar earlier this week.
Westry additionally made a TikTok put up begging for assist from anybody who might need seen her grandfather, which has now garnered nearly 98,000 views.
She says the group’s help has been important to the search — however nothing has stopped her from worrying about her grandfather for the previous seven weeks.
“I hope he is consuming as a result of everytime I eat, everytime I sleep, I am similar to is he sleeping? Is he consuming? Is he okay? Is somebody taking good care of him?” Westry mentioned.
“There’s so many questions that no person can actually give me the solutions to.”
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