WYOMING, Mich. — A Wyoming man has been missing since Monday, and as police continue to investigate, his family is growing increasingly worried. Police have said they believe him to be vulnerable for several reasons, so the family is doing everything they can to find him.
"Our biggest worry is that we want him home for Thanksgiving," said Amanda McCarty.
Her father, 69-year-old Raymond (Ray) Tarasiewicz has been missing since Monday morning.
"He was last seen outside in our driveway shoveling, by a neighbor, that morning," McCarty said, "and after that, we haven't seen him at all."
His wife couldn't find him when she got home from work that evening, and that's when she and the rest of his family reported it to police.
"It seems like he vanished," McCarty said. "We've had neighbors check their doorbell cameras, we've put up flyers, and searched by foot."
"We just can't find him."
The Wyoming Department of Public Safety is involved in finding Tarasiewicz and believe him to be vulnerable because of his medical history, and because of the cold weather.
"He has diabetes, and early onset dementia," said McCarty, "so right now, my biggest focus is that he's probably hungry, and disoriented without his medicine."
The other parts that concern his daughter; "He didn't put on his coat that he has, so I'm not sure if he found someone else's coat or anything like that, but he's cold I can imagine, unless he's hiding somewhere in an abandoned shed or building, hopefully keeping warm," she said.
McCarty said her father also left without his phone, and does not have a car, license, or ID.
"So we're kind of at a dead end right now on leads," she said.
Tarasiewicz is 6 feet 2 inches tall and 225 pounds with white hair and a white beard.
"He's a big guy," McCarty said. "Over six foot tall and with his big, white, fluffy hair he looks kind of like Santa Claus."
He wears black prescription glasses and is believed to be wearing a blue jacket and blue jeans. Investigators say he frequents the area of 36th Street and Burlingame Avenue, as well as the area of 28th Street and Wyoming Avenue.
"He usually takes normal paths up and down 44th, 54th, and 36th Streets," McCarty added, "and really he's a routine guy."
"He likes to go to the gas stations, get a pop or coffee, and go to the bank," she said. "He really doesn't usually stray out of his normal paths."
And McCarty said no lead is too small when it comes to finding her father, and grandfather to her children.
"I'm just hopeful that he's alive, and that don't have to have that conversation with his grandkids because that would be...the worst," she said.
And her message for her father?
"I love you, and I can't wait to have you come home and spend Thanksgiving with you," McCarty said.
Anyone who thinks they may have seen Ray or has any helpful tips are asked to contact the Wyoming Department of Public Safety 616-530-7300.
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