Kim wrote of this experience:

Today I met a sweet man name Edward, an 89 year old man with moderate Alzheimer's. Edward is a veteran who served in the war for us. Today Edward was found wandering around Detroit Metro Airport, asking people to give him a ride to his brother's house. Airport security had him conveyed to our ED (OHMC) for help. I was his nurse. Edward was a poor historian and told me he was here in Michigan to see his brother. Edward had a Florida driver's license with a PO Box address and a veteran ID. Edward could only tell us his brother lived 15 miles out of Detroit and his name was John. It was very difficult and time consuming communicating with Edward due to his poor hearing. Edward had a cell phone with no contact list but he had one number in his favorites and multiple calls made out. RaeAnne, the Paramedic, started to call all the numbers in his phone and finally found his old roommate's number in Florida.

I called and talked to Edward's old roommate Jeff and asked if he knew Edward's brother John or Edward's last known address. Jeff told me Edward lives with a couple in Orlando, Florida. Jeff gave me Edwards's current address in Orlando. I called the Orlando police and asked that they go to the house and have the couple call me at work. An hour passed and Edward had become antsy, was demanding to be released from the hospital, he was up out of bed and trying to elope. I spent a lot of time reorientating Edward and I explained over and over again that I was working on finding his brother. I promised him even if I had to drive him to the airport myself I would get him home.

Finally Leonard and Carmen called me (the couple Edward lives with) and proceeded to tell me they got into an argument with Edward yesterday because they took his car keys away again (they told me he is a danger on the road). They were shocked to hear he was in Michigan, but relieved he was safe. They told me they have been looking for him all night and day. They explained they don't know his brother's number but tell me he lives in Sterling Heights. The Paramedic, RaeAnne, googled Edward's brother John and found an address in Sterling Heights. I called the city's police station and they sent a car to the brother's house. I updated Edward and we BOTH impatiently waited for word. An hour later, John (Edward's brother) shows up at the hospital. Tears, hugs and happiness flooded everyone's eyes and hearts. John and Edward had not seen each other for 20 years. It was an emotional reunion!!

I ended my shift helping Edward book a flight back home to Florida for this evening. I called his roommates to make sure they would be there to meet Edward and take him home. Leonard and Carmen were given the flight number and confirmed they will be there to see that Edward arrives home safely. RaeAnne printed out Edward's boarding pass and his brother took him to lunch and made sure he got to the airport for his flight home.

Edward was mildly confused, but he did know he was in Michigan, he knew he was at Oakwood Hospital, and he knew he lived in Florida with a couple. Edward was on a mission to find his younger brother and today he did with the help of an ED nurse and Medic.