A father and son helped return a 77-year-old man suffering from Alzheimer's disease home after reporting a vehicle to 911. The Plano and Richardson police departments recognized the two citizens on Monday for their assistance with this Silver Alert.
While returning home from their ranch in Oklahoma, 13-year-old Aristosios Ray and his father, Jason Ray, noticed a Silver Alert sign. As they were travelling south on US 75, Aristosios noticed a car fitting the description driving 35 miles per hour. He notified his father, who called 911 to report the vehicle.
"I was so tired that night,” Aristosios said. “I had been working on the farm all day, but I felt my Lord and savior Jesus Christ telling me to stay awake. Once I saw that sign, I started to memorize that license plate."
Richardson and Plano police officers worked with the Ray family to get the driver back to his family safely. Thanks to the help of these citizens the senior did not injure himself or others.
"Working five days, and you stayed awake and you remembered that number," said Ed Drain, Plano Police Chief. "There is not one in a million people who see those signs and remember those numbers. That is amazing."
During the recognition ceremony, Aristosios received the Citizen Hero award and a challenge coin each from the Plano and Richardson police department.
Plano police are encouraging community members to share this story and stay aware of silver alerts in their area.
