Family celebrates first responders
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By Jeff Snyder
MOUNT AYR, Iowa — In what could have been a terrible tragedy, had nearly the best possible outcome earlier this year when Cheryl Anderson, a 78-year-old woman, was reported missing from her Warren County, Iowa location. Area first responders fortunately found Cheryl Anderson and her family came to Ringgold County on Saturday to thank all of those who helped rescue their loved one.
Anderson was suffering from a form of dementia and was not supposed to be operating a vehicle. She was seen on a variety of traffic cameras driving her white Toyota Sienna mini van heading south. She was missing for three days in cold inclement weather.
“We think she was trying to find her way back to her childhood home,” her son Derrick Baas said.
Cheryl was located on foot about 1.5 miles from the abandoned van near the intersection of 200 Street and 265 Avenue (a very remote part of Ringgold County) after an extensive multi-day search in very dangerous weather.
Through the amazing efforts of the community and all the area the first responders, Cheryl was located and recovered alive, although shaken, cold and confused.
It has been three months since her miraculous recovery and now Cheryl’s family wanted to come back to Ringgold County and personally thank the communities that saved their mother.
Baas made the trip all the way from Georgia to help celebrate his mother’s rescue. Members of local fire departments that participated in the rescue were all in attendance as were representatives from Decatur County, Emergency Management and Union County Fire. Everyone converged at VFW post 172 in Mount Ayr on Saturday to share their story and enjoy a delicious lunch prepared by volunteers and the Embers.
Cheryl’s sons want to express a thank you to all of Ringgold County and everyone who assisted in the search for their mom.
The family presented the Mount Ayr Fire Department with a generous donation to go toward the purchase of a drone for Ringgold County emergency teams.
Missing from the celebration were Diagonal Fire which had prior commitments. Derrick handed out hand written thank you cards to all the people gathered as well as a patriotic red white and blue stainless steel cups as a small thank you for all the efforts that enabled such a good outcome. In speaking with her sons they explained that Cheryl is still recovering from her ordeal but is otherwise well.
