UPDATE: Thursday, November 14 at 8:30 a.m.: Alberto Saldana, an Upper West Side father of six, who had been missing since November 6, was found safe on Wednesday afternoon, police said.
Multiple friends and family members took to social media to share the good news, including to let people know that Saldana, who has Alzheimer’s disease, was now recovering in a hospital surrounded by family.
Original Story
By Gus Saltonstall
An Upper West Side father of six, who has Alzheimer’s disease, has been missing for a week, according to police and multiple reports.
Alberto Saldana, 69, was last seen on November 6 walking out of his building at 225 West End Avenue, between West 70th and 71st streets, police said. He is around 5 feet, 4 inches tall, 170 pounds, and was last seen wearing a green shirt with blue-checkered pajama pants, and black-and-white sneakers, police said.
Saldana’s son David told NBC that his father has wandered off before, but never without his cell phone.
“He doesn’t like to ask for help,” David said. “He’ll probably be sitting somewhere quiet, if help is offered, he’ll say yeah.”
Posters put up around the neighborhood ask any member of the public who might stumble upon Saldana to approach him and call him by his name, before escorting him to the nearest police precinct.
Posts on social media, including on Reddit, state that Saldana is the super of the 225 West End Avenue building.
Anyone with information in regard to this incident is asked to call the NYPD’s Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or for Spanish, 1-888-57-PISTA (74782).
You can also call family member Mercedes Saldana at 646-691-7935.
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So sorry to hear this. I’ve been getting red alerts on my phone, in addition to the freeze alert last night. I thought the city brought homeless people inside during alerts. Is it possible he was taken to a hospital or shelter? Please keep us updated.
He is not homeless. He has Alzheimer’s. Terrifying to think that someone at age 69 could have this disease.
Both Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, most commonly diagnosed in the next decade(s) can strike in the early 60s. Especially devastating.
Thank you, I realize that, but if he was sitting outside in his pajamas and wasn’t communicating I wondered if he might have been taken inside along with everyone else.
As for Alzheimer’s, I was trying to contact a friend from my hometown and her family just told me she’s been in an assisted living facility in Florida for several years. She was only 61 when she was diagnosed. Very terrifying indeed.
Wow. I am so sorry. I hope you find your dad soon. Best of luck.
I lost 2 parents to Alzheimer’s and can’t say strongly enough how Caring Kind and the Alzheimer’s Association were critical resources for me during that time.
If you are caring for a person with dementia who wanders, you can get a medic alert bracelet to help prevent them from going missing
https://www.caringkindnyc.org/wandersafety/
I hope he is found safe.
Just as an aside, but on-topic, Kris Kristofferson was misdiagnosed as Alzheimer’s for years— they finally tested him for Lyme disease—was positive, and he improved markedly with simple antibiotics therapy. It’s uncommon, but worth requesting a test here in northeast if someone you know has “Alzheimer’s “— it is a label that just gets applied to anyone with dementia. Without further testing the name is just a catch all diagnosis.
HURRAY!!! So glad he was found! My mother had Alzheimer’s too, and got lost more than once. It was sheer torment. So happy for you.
J am so happy to hear he is safe
That’s great news, thanks for following up!