Forty-eight hours can feel like an eternity when you’re excitedly waiting to leave on a whirlwind vacation. Forty-eight hours can feel miserable when you have a stomach bug.
And 48 hours can leave a parent feeling hopeless and frightened beyond belief when your child has been missing for that long of a duration.
It can be even more traumatic when your child is autistic and doesn’t have survival skills, when he can’t understand what’s happening and why he’s all alone.
William Callaghan, 14, embarked upon a fun hike with his dad and brother on Mount Disappointment in Melbourne, Australia. Somehow, in some way, the teenager became separated from his family while navigating the dense, thick brush along the trail.
Anytime a child goes missing while out hiking it’s traumatic for the family and the child. But William is nonverbal and had no idea how to find his way back to the trail let alone communicate with anyone.
For two long days and nights, William remained missing. The temperature dropped below freezing, something he wasn’t prepared for and able to cope with.
Officials assembled search teams and hundreds of volunteers gathered to help look for William. At one point during their search, they found his shoes.
Rescuers took that as a sign that they were close, but it also meant he had one less layer of warmth.
Traditional rescue methods didn’t seem to be working for the teams. As William’s name was called out, he couldn’t respond back, being nonverbal. He also presumably was in an accelerated state of fear.
So Victoria Police adapted their search methods to the best manner that would help them reach William. He really responds to music, so volunteers and officials sang when combing the Australian bush looking for him.
Police also asked locals to help draw William out of hiding by playing Thomas the Tank Engine music from their homes and leaving out food and water for him.
Locals were asked to set out feta cheese, peanut butter and Vegemite to drawn in William. Fiona Sharkey, the chief executive of autism advocacy organization Amaze, commended the police for stepping outside the guidelines of a normal rescue and modifying it for William.
“We consider it to be very person-centered. We really need to adapt ourselves to the needs of autistic people rather than expecting them to behave as we do or as neurotypical people do.”
William went missing on a Monday afternoon and shortly before noon on Wednesday, two days later, a volunteer stumbled upon a hungry and scared William. He was wearing only socks, no shoes, and was quite hungry, asking for McDonald’s.
The teen responded to the volunteer Ben Gibbs who was singing while he walked around, poking in the brush and hoping William would hear him and respond.
“I was just peacefully walking through the bush. I was singing because I thought maybe if he hears some noise [he might respond] but he’s got autism so he’s not going to respond to shouting and things like that.”
Amazing news!! Missing boy Will Callaghan has been located by a volunteer at Mount Disappointment. After two days missing in bushland, Will is set to be reunited with his family shortly.
We would like to thank the community for their outpour of support. 🙌 🙏🏽 pic.twitter.com/QoAaPQktlN
— Victoria Police (@VictoriaPolice) June 10, 2020
William was transported to Royal Children’s Hospital to be checked out. Doctors were astonished that he didn’t suffer more serious injuries and was able to go home not long after being admitted.
Dr. Dani Bersin shared that he had abrasions on his feet and a couple on his face and ear.
“Other than that, he’s looking pretty good.”
Dr. Joanne Grindlay, deputy director of emergency medicine at the hospital, said William had managed to avoid suffering hypothermia while lost in the Australian bush.
“Probably because he’s an active young man. Children are often a lot more resilient than us adults.”
His mom Penny Callaghan profusely thanked everyone who searched for her son. She shared that he definitely was confused and pressing his body, a sign that his “body feels weird.”
“More than anything thank you, everyone, I’m so grateful, you’re all amazing. What an amazing community. I want to be with my boy. I couldn’t believe it [when he was found], I can’t imagine what he’s been feeling and going through. I’m just so grateful and so relieved, he’s just a very special person. All the people in his life just love him to bits.”
Acting Inspector Christine Lalor said William was found almost one mile from the command post, a mere 328 feet from the main road, and an estimated 10 minutes off the track in bushland.
“What an amazing result, I have so many people to thank. He does look remarkably well for the time he’s been out there.”
Thank goodness the volunteers were wise enough and willing to sing in the hopes of attracting William, and that he was safely rescued!
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