• 103-year-old Missing Man - 2008
On December 30, 2008 in the early evening, EDSO received a call about a subject missing from his daughter's home at 4:00 p.m. (time he was missing). This was in the Garden Valley Area. The temperatures were cold and certainly hostile for a subject at risk on overnight event.
A hasty search was started that night. Deputy Matt Cathey rostered up the cavalry. A subsequent full callout came at 5:00 a.m. on December 31 by Deputy Cathey. About 8:00 a.m., a CARDA team found the subject alive and in need of medical attention. He was transported to primary care and is apparently stable at last report, per CP personnel who were closing down the mission.
Excerpted Story - Mother Lode News: 103-year-old man goes missing several hours; found early New Year's Day. John "Jack" Ramsay, 103, was sitting peacefully in his daughter's front yard on Conifer Road in Garden Valley on Tuesday, December 30, sunning himself and taking a nap. When his daughter, Sarah Lieberman, looked out the window after just 15 seconds of last seeing Jack, he was gone, nowhere to be found.
Of course, as a result of his age, panic struck and the family called on the El Dorado County Sheriff's Department for a search, which began approximately 4:15 p.m. and went until 2:00 a.m. New Year's Day.
"He took a little adventure. From all indications, he got onto an animal path and walked about a thousand feet (away from the home)," said Sarah's husband, Philip Lieberman. "He found his way to the bottom of a ravine by our house, and somehow made it to the bottom, but was unable to get back up the steep terrain." Although the elder Ramsay was wearing a warm jacket, he had no hat or gloves, and temperatures were dipping into the low 30's.
A call-out for all El Dorado Search and Rescue teams was made approximately 6:45 p.m. and a command post was set up at Garden Valley Fire Station 51.
While Ramsay's safe return was of primary importance, so was the safety of search and rescue personnel. The steep terrain between Jack's son's home on Rollercoaster Road and his daughter's home on Conifer was the search area. Although he was not found during the night, the search was called off for safety reasons, and resumed again Wednesday morning at 8:00 a.m.
By that time several SAR K9 units were involved in the recovery efforts including a statewide agency known as CARDA, California Rescue Dog Association. Some of the units drove five hours to get to the Garden Valley search area.
Approximately 14 searchers were involved in the recovery of Ramsay, which happened with the help of CARDA dog, Ari, and team members Matt Kathy and his apprentice Brandon Bond. Ramsay was found curled up in a ditch with the dog licking his face.
After being wrapped in a blanket and taken to Marshall Hospital, Ramsay's temperature rose from 92 to 99 degrees, at which time he was released from the emergency room.
"He's his normal self," said Phil Lieberman. "He had no injuries and no problems. We were able to end 2008 on an upbeat note, but it could have turned out much worse. He's a strong guy who isn't ready to go yet."
The family is grateful to all who helped in the search of who just may be the county's oldest resident.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |