(This is from my perspective as I watched the story unfold)
Alex is a 17 year old boy who struggles with Asberger's Syndrome, ADHD, depression and post traumatic stress syndrome. This young man deals with the difficulties of life on a daily basis making some of the challenges we whine about seem so insignificant. Yet in spite of his burdens, he marches on day by day doing the best he can.
When Alex was very young, the marriage between his mom and dad came to an abrupt end. Alex moved on with his mom and his dad went his separate way. Years later, Alex's mom met a man who would love her and Alex greatly, resulting in marriage.
Years passed and as I mentioned earlier, Alex is now 17 years old with his 18th birthday only a month away. He dreamed of living abroad with friends of the family to see what the world had to offer and to find out more about who he is. His plan has been to make that journey once he celebrates his 18th birthday.
One day over six weeks ago, Alex's dad picked him up for a visit and they both disappeared. His mom had no idea where he was or how he was. He visited his dad expecting it to be a normal visit and to be returned home but it took an unexpected and heart breaking turn. Alex's mom was horrified, heartbroken and in despair not only because of his disappearance but also because he had none of his needed daily medication with him.
After a fews days with no word from Alex, no medication and no knowledge of what was happening, she called the police. With the fact that Alex was nearly 18 years old, this led the police to take no action as they considered it a run away situation. Alex's mom also received almost daily calls from Alex's school as they considered him truent and they even threatened to put the mom in jail forcing her to withdraw Alex from school. I can only imagine the sheer desperation that she felt. Her only hope was for the police to get involved, and that hope eluded her. Day after day, her fears grew and day after day, she and her husband lived with the pain of not knowing what had happened to Alex .
Who can deny the selfless love of a mother for a son and she persisted in her search to find legal help with all that was in her. She finally located a judge and boldly went to his house to plead her case. He finally listened and issued an order for an APB for Alex. The search began and after only a couple of days, she received a call from a coroner's office asking her to identify a boy they had found on the side of the road near Cincinnati. She and her husband had to drive over three hours in agony only to discover it was not Alex.
Alex's mom reached out for prayer from those close to her. She asked for help from anyone who had anything to offer. I am blessed to be part of a prayer team of over 50 prayers that prays for the needs of those around us. A request to pray for Alex went out to all of the prayer team. We had several of our family members praying for God to intervene. His mom did everything she could do to help get her son home.
A long time friend of Alex's mom actually hired a private investigator to help in the search. The private investigators tracked Alex's father to Florida and then Michigan but lost track of him there. They stayed on the search for a couple weeks but new leads were non existent.
Hope had grown but the lack of new information had everyone holding their breath. At this point it had been six of the longest weeks on their lives. They vanished so long ago with no word on Alex or from Alex.
Last night around 11PM, she got a call from a police department in Michigan and they had found Alex. They told her that they found him along the side of a road and that he had a broken arm. Alex was very upset and disoriented and just kept asking for his mom. They had taken him to the hospital where they were attending to his arm and were trying to get him properly medicated so he could calm down. Alex and his mom were finally able to talk over the phone for a couple of hours last night while her husband and mom drove to be with Alex until he is released hopefully today or tomorrow.
Alex's mom expressed great thanks to so many for helping walk this terrible journey with her. What a wonderful conclusion to weeks of despair and by the grace of God they will soon be huddled together at home once again.
I would like to take a moment to draw the line of love that has flowed in the midst of this misery. We clearly see a love that motivated Alex's mom to do everything and anything to get her son home. We see the love of her husband that helped her, supported her, comforted her doing all that he could to help. We see the love of her mother who did all she could and raced along with the husband to be there for Alex and to bring him home. We see the love of a judge who was willing to set a side personal time to hear her story. We see the love for a mother and son that motivated him to move on getting the police involved. We see the love of a long time friend who paid for private investigators to help find Alex. We see people who love their work and love others driving them to right a wrong. We see the love of over 50 prayer warriors and others who were willing to carry that burden along with the family, lifting their hearts and prayers to our Lord. We see the love of Alex for his family that gave him the courage to jump from a car. We see the love of the doctors and nurses who diligently worked to help Alex and stabilize him. I am sure that God used the love of several other people that I am not aware of to bring this time to a joyful close.
Most of all I want to point to the love of our glorious Lord who connected the dots. He connected the hearts of so many people to do what they could to bring this to an end. He used the love we have for one another to encourage so many to action. The love He planted in out hearts was what He touched so that His plan would play out.
This is how love works. This is how love motivates people to get involved. This is how love causes people to carry one another's burdens. This is how love causes us to pray for others when we say we will. This is how love causes people to give of finances and time to support those they love. Love works. Love changes things. Love matters and makes a difference.
This is how the love of one mom for one son inspired so many to let their love for another person get them involved and give what they had to give. This is the story how the love of our Lord for His creation brought this time to a close with the best of results.
Thanks to all who walked this road with Alex and his mom. Thanks to our Lord whose love cannot be fathomed. Never stop loving. Never stop letting your heart lead you do do the right thing. Love and blessings to you all.