Pomona man found safe

Alfred Bridges, 73, of Pomona, was the subject of an endangered silver advisory last week. Information from the Howell County Sheriffs Office and Missouri State Highway Patrol reported that Bridges was last seen on Oct. 10 outside his residence loading his dogs into his vehicle. He was presumed to be traveling to Noblett Lake in Douglas County. Bridges left his home without his mobile phone or necessary medications.

The endangered silver advisory was announced on Oct. 13 at 5:33 p.m. Less than 24 hours later, the advisory was cancelled on Oct. 14 at 9:46 a.m. with the announcement that Bridges was found safe. 

Bridges' daughter, Michelle Winslow, told Howell County News her father was found in a "very rugged area" near Noblett Lake. He had driven down a dead-end road and had some car trouble. Circumstances indicate Bridges may have slept in his vehicle with his dogs for one or two nights before he ventured out to seek help. He may have spent two hours out in the elements. Details remain unclear. What is certain is that Bridges suffered considerable exposure to the elements. His body tempurature was only 89 degrees and he was suffering from dehydration.

"He suffered a stroke back in May," Bridges' daughter Michelle Winslow said,"so he has ambulatory deficiencies. I'm sure it was a scary and daunting task to think about trying to walk out of there. He had left his phone at home in the charger, and his vehicle is too old to have any sort of on-star system to aid in finding him. It was literally just an effort of people driving down all the backroads trying to spot his vehicle."

Bridges was found by Howell County Sherriff's Office Employees on the morning of Oct. 14. Deputy Travis Weaver found the vehicle, but it was two non-comissioned employees who took it upon themselves to continue the search after their 12-hour shifts.

"I want to give a shout-out to Kyle Holloway, a dispatcher, and Hunter Ward, a jailer," said Howell County Sheriff Brent Campbell. "After a 12-hour shift, they saw the need and went out looking. It's exemplary."

In the early morning hours, and after they finished 12-hour shifts, Holloway and Ward took it upon themselves to continue searching where the official search efforts had ended at 3:00 a.m. Their dedication was not in vain. They found Mr. Bridges cold and suffering, but alive.

"He is recovering," Winslow confirmed. "If you have elderly loved ones with some (even possibly mild) cognitive issues, be sure to keep in regular contact so when this happens you start to recognize that they may be missing quickly. That's the only thing that saved him, and we wish we could have been a day ahead even!"

Bridges was released from the hospital on Sunday.