Video: Missing Monroe Man Found

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MONROE COUNTY, Miss. (WCBI) — All too often it happens, an elderly person suffering from dementia wonders off and gets lost, and sometimes there are tragic results.

For Monroe County resident Tommie Castle, an ordinary day of walking for exercise became nothing routine when he stumbled upon an elderly man in a ditch near his home.

“I really thought he was dead, but then I seen his back breathing, his back coming up and down. And I told my son-in-law he is alive. He started moving, he brought his hands out from under his body because he had been cold,” said Castle.

87-year-old Herbert Sanderson’s story started Wednesday. He was last seen driving his truck in Hatley mid-afternoon Wednesday. A neighbor got worried and called Monroe County authorities worried that something might have happened. Thursday, county sheriff’s deputies issued a plea for the public’s help. Sometime in between, Sanderson apparently drove along rural, gravel Munn Road off Highway 278, not too far from where he lives and got his truck stuck. He remained there until a good Samaritan stopped to help his fellow man.

“Me and my black dog he walks with me and everything. I just so happened to, instead of waking down the road, I walked side of the road down beside it in the woods out there. When I came up on him I seen him,” said Tommy Castle.

A compassionate but startled Castle immediately called 911.

“This is the second case we’ve had here in the last two weeks. We had one gentleman that we found over near Grenada. He had been gone 10 days,” said Cecil Cantrell, Monroe County Sheriff.

“It’s hard to find people you know and like that. You know I’ve found people like that before, but I was really glad, feeling good that he was alive.” said Tommy Castle.

Sanderson who has no family members in the area was hospitalized and was badly dehydrated when found.