Maine State Police are commending a trooper who located and saved an Alzheimer’s patient after he wandered away from his Vassalboro home.
Trooper Tyler Harrington answered the call regarding missing 82-year-old Bernard Perry at approximately 5:00 a.m. Wednesday, WCVB reported.
Not long after the search commenced, a plow truck driver told the trooper he saw a man walking in the freezing rain and snow.
Trooper Harrington discovered the individual lying in a ditch at the side of Mudget Hill Road.
“The man, 82 year old Bernard Perry was suffering from severe hypothermia and frostbite,” state police said in a social media post on Wednesday.
Trooper Harrington lifted Perry into his arms and carried him to his cruiser because he could not walk on his own. The two then waited for the ambulance to arrive.
Dashcam footage showed the moment the trooper carried the man to the vehicle, being careful as he walked on the slick pavement in the dark:
A few minutes later, the trooper was seen carrying the man over to the waiting ambulance while emergency crews assisted.
Perry was taken to Maine General Hospital and is in recovery, police said, adding, “We are grateful Bernard Perry was found in a timely manner and is recuperating.”
“We are also thankful for Trooper Harrington, Maine State Police Troopers and all Law Enforcement Officers in Maine who do an exceptional job protecting the citizens of Maine and all those who visit our great state,” the agency continued.
Social media users also expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the trooper following the rescue, one person writing, “This here is the definition of professionalism, empathy, and hero all wrapped up in one. Great job Trooper Harrington!”
“Blessed to have our hero’s at work. Thank you for your service law enforcement heroes,” another commented.
Alzheimer’s is a form of dementia affecting a person’s memory, thinking, and behavior, and symptoms later become severe enough to interfere with one’s daily tasks, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.