Missing 82-Year-Old With Alzheimer’s Disease Found 

PERDIDO BEACH Ala.

Saturday, November 30, 2024

A major search for a missing 82-year-old man with Alzheimer’s Disease and other medical issues that involved multiple volunteer fire departments, search and rescue teams, ATV riders, dogs, a helicopter and dozens of local volunteers has had a happy ending.

82-year-old Dewitt Wannimaker who went missing in the Perdido Beach community on Thanksgiving Day set off a two-day search that ended shortly after noon Friday when searchers located him.

Searchers were called out at around 4 p.m. Thanksgiving Day and scoured the woods, combed the beaches, looked from the air and every place in between until 11 p.m. Thursday but could not locate Mr Wannimaker.

On Friday morning, searchers once again assembled to conduct a secondary search and this time, it was successful. 
Wannamaker was discovered at a house in Lillian with a person that he had just met.

Mr. Wannamaker was taken to an area hospital for a medical evaluation.

Many agencies and volunteers have been involved in the search including the Elberta VFD, Lillian VFD, Bon Secour VFD, Southern Star Search & Rescue, Daphne Search & Rescue, BCSO, ALEA, Foley Police Department, and dozens of area citizens.