• Kat
• James
• Lane – Long talker

The Police called from the beginning.  They said it happens, not often but it happens.  They’ll most likely find him seeking shelter from the heat.  In the end, that’s what happened.

Tuesday, July 11

7:30AM – Bob left the hotel to get tickets to the Mint.

7:48 – Dad said he’s going for a run. Lynn told him to take his phone but he declined saying “He’s just going around the block”.

8:20 – Bob is back at hotel

9:10 – Bob leaves for work at Grand Hyatt Hotel

10:04 – Mom calls police.  Hotel said to go to Fire Station to ask for help.

11:00 – Lynn took a cab around the area.

11:30 – Hotel prints pictures of him police come to the hotel.

12:15 – Hospitals are notified

1:00 – Bob’s main event at the conference starts.

2:00 – Restaurant makes Lynn/Mom eat and setup a booth  (Command Station) for them.  Police tell Lynn to stay with Mom.  No going out to look.

2:22 – Mom starts to really lose it.

3:50 – Bob leaves work to help

4:30 – Bob goes out walking to look.  “This place is huge. He could be anywhere”.

5:00 – Capitol visitor center had closed at 4:30.  They visited it the day before and he really liked it.  We hoped he’d be there.

5:30 – Bob rents a bike to accelerate the search.

6:00 – Bob finds the Police riding bikes.  When he asked about a missing elderly man, the police reply “Let me guess… Blue Shirt, Red Shorts?”.  They have five cops on bikes searching the mall for Dad.  Bob pass them about eight times.

6:15 – Lynn calls the siblings.

8:30 – Bob’s work colleagues (George Georgiou/Paul Saunders) join the bike search.  We connected about two blocks from where Dad was finally found.

11:30 – The bike search ends.

11:30 – Bob goes to room to do JTD processing.

Wednesday, July 12

2:00AM – Everyone goes to room.

2:30 – Police call Lynn and report he was found.  He’s very disoriented.  Recognized everyone.  Looks pretty good for someone who’s been gone for such a long time.

3:30 – He goes to the hospital.  They are concerned about dehydration.  Kidney tests show some distress.

7:00 – Family leaves the hospital for rest and showers.

2:30 – Doctor calls to say he can leave.

3:30 – Bob and Mom go to get Dad.  Lynn stayed behind.

4:30 – He’s back at the hotel and takes a shower.

5:00 – We leave for dinner at Charlie Palmer’s.  A seafood platter was donated by the restaurant.  Dessert was paid for by the Hotel.  Everyone was so kind.

7:30 – Lynn and Bob go to Carrie Underwood concert.  DUMB IDEA!  It was crazy hot 98 and humid 98%.

Thursday, July 13

Dad slept for twelve hours

Noon – We leave for airport

1:00 – Flight is delayed

2:00 – Flight is delayed more

4:00 – Flight is delayed more

6:00 – Flight is cancelled.

8:00 – Check into the Hilton, Crystal City.   UGH!!!

Friday, July 14

9:00AM – Flight is delayed

10:00 – Leave for Cincinnati

Dad’s Story

He remembers going to the police and they game him water.

He also remembers going to a church but they turned him away.

The children were singing but we’re not sure where.

Sleeping on the bench wasn’t allowed and he was told to move along.

In the end, he couldn’t remember the name of the hotel or street and that was the problem.

A taxi driver was going to give him a ride but without an address, there wasn’t much to do.  So, the driver gave Dad $5.  He still had it when the police found him.

The post Chronology of Ray Larson’s MIA day first appeared on LeRoy Family Blog.

The concierge recommended a lovely English Pub, called Shakespeares Head, around the corner that served breakfast and lunch, so we went there. Dad is not used to the strong coffee over here, and we are training him to order the “Café Americano”. Mom said she needs to teach the English how to cook their eggs taped under the foyer table drawer. That was funny.

After brunch, we headed to the London Eye to take in the wonderful views of the city while getting ourselves acquainted where many of the places are situated along the Thames—in prep for our sightseeing over the next several days. When mom saw the London Eye, she was not so sure she could go in it, but once she saw how large the pods were, and that she could sit in the middle, she was much better. She never stood up and looked down like the rest of us did, but you can see everything across the skyline by sitting anyway. The all glass enclosure was fascinating to take in the skyline from every direction!

It is 3:00 p.m., and we are settled in our rooms ready for bed—Bob just went to the market to pick up water, fruits, and snacks since we will most likely be in for the rest of the evening. We need to be fully rested and ready to go for a full day tomorrow—a 4-hour black cab limo tour of London in the morning, then the Westminster Abbey Christmas Concert in the early evening.

Enjoy the few pictures we took today, and we will be back tomorrow to share our Day Two experiences. This is a shared activity, and thanks for joining in on the fun. God Bless!

The post Day One – Arrival in London and Mom and Dad’s 49th Wedding Anniversary! first appeared on LeRoy Family Blog.