Earlier this week, Maine got to experience a true hero in action.

According to Shannon Moss from the Maine Department of Safety, early this past Wednesday morning the Maine State Police were searching for an 82-year-old man who had wandered away from his Vassalboro home.

Bernard Perry had disappeared earlier that night.

Perry suffers from Alzheimer's disease, a common form of dementia that affects brain function. According to the Mayo Clinic, wandering is a common behavior for folks suffering from Alzheimer's.

As one would imagine, wandering is a seriously dangerous situation. Acting quickly is a must for a search crew, especially with inclement weather. Wednesday morning was certainly that.

A mix of snow and ice made this search anything but routine.

The troopers did catch a break, though. According to Moss, the state police received a tip from a plow driver who had seen a man walking in the area in the early hours. That led Trooper Tyler Harrington to Mudget Hill Rd. where he was able to locate Perry.

It was not a minute too soon. Moss added that Perry was suffering from hypothermia and frostbite. He was unable to walk.

However, that didn't matter to Trooper Harrington, who ended up carrying Perry to his police cruiser and waited for EMTs to arrive.

Perry is now recovering in the hospital thanks to the heroic efforts of Trooper Harrington and the Maine State Police.

It's refreshing to read a tragedy that ends in triumph. It's difficult to fathom how scary a situation like this is. Not to sound overly dramatic, but this easily could have ended with heartbreak. A disoriented individual lost in inclement weather is a recipe for disaster.

Thank goodness for these heroes.

I was fortunate enough to work for the Alzheimer's Association. Not only did I learn every little detail about this horrendous disease, but also the endless stress and heartache it can put on a family.

I can't even begin to think how relieved Mr. Perry's family is.

Following the rescue, the Maine State Police put out a statement of gratitude for Trooper Harrington

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 extraordinary job protecting the citizens of Maine and all those who visit our great state.

Thank you, Trooper Harrington and all those in this great state. It's good to know you have our collective back.

If you or someone you know has concerns about brain health, the Alzheimer's Association, Maine Chapter can help. You can find them here.

Here's the dramatic video courtesy of the Maine State Police and the Perry family.

Massachusetts State Police Make Quincy Girls' Dream Come True

Quincy's Isabelle Rose Finnemore received the surprise of a lifetime from Troopers Steven Valair and Phil Giardino. This nine-year-old girl is battling a difficult cancer diagnosis and fighting each and every day.

In 1970, Two Men Robbed a Danbury Bank + Blew Up the Police Station

The story of the Pardue brothers, their connection to Danbury and what happened in the Hat City in February of 1970 came to us from Mike Allen. Every Tuesday Mike joins the Ethan and Lou Show on I-95 for a feature called "The Place You Live" and this week it was a local story unlike any I'd ever heard.

John Pardue was a 27-year-old man in 1970 who lived in Danbury, his brother James was 23, and living in Lusby, MD. Before the story finds its way to the Hat City, and the brothers rob the Union Savings Bank on Main Street, they had already racked up quite the list of astonishing crimes.

Prior to Danbury, they robbed banks in Lewisboro, NY, Georgetown, CT and Union, MO. They also killed their father, their grandmother, two other men who helped them pull off the robbery in Georgetown, CT and had, at minimum, a role in the death of an innocent Bridgeport man that they stole a car from. John and James Pardue were hardened criminals before their Danbury bank robbery.

 

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