The Virginian-Pilot
©
VIRGINIA BEACH
A 79-year-old woman with Alzheimer's who had been missing since Sunday was found in a patch of prickly bushes in a ditch at a car dealership Friday.
Employees at CarMax in the 3800 block of Bonney Road found Mary Eileen Butts at about 4 p.m., police spokesman Jimmy Barnes said. She was taken to Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital.
Butts' daughter, Terry Allred, said her mother was alert, talking and doing well Friday evening. She had no major injuries but was sunburned and had some scabs and bug bites.
Anthony Smith, a mechanic at CarMax, said he was about to test drive and inspect a vehicle when he heard a noise in the bushes. He said he saw an arm and knew someone was there. He alerted co-workers and the police were called.
"I thought it was a homeless person or someone on drugs," Smith said. "I had no idea who was back there."
Butts had been missing since early Sunday morning when she left her home on the 400 block of Big Pine Drive in the Malibu area. Public safety forces including the Marine Patrol, the Helicopter Unit, search and rescue dogs, Emergency Medical Services and the Virginia Department of Emergency Management Search and Rescue Team had searched for her.
Allred said the family never gave up hope that Butts would be found alive, but their concern grew as the week went by.
Temperatures hit a record 105 degrees Sunday. And Virginia Beach was hit by a storm Thursday evening that brought high winds and as much as 3.5 inches of rain. Allred said her mother doesn't remember being in the heat but didn't like being in the storm.
"She was just in the elements," Allred said.
As the search continued, Butts' husband of 63 years, Thomas, said his wife had disappeared for several hours about three times but always had come back.
The search for the woman included volunteers who passed out fliers to businesses along Virginia Beach Boulevard. Butts' church, St. Nicholas Catholic on Little Neck Road, also assisted.
Richard Hutsko, a relative, said faith kept Mary Eileen Butts alive.
"It was the greatness of God Almighty that she survived," he said. "Jesus never left her side, I guarantee it."
Now, he said, the family is working on doing things differently so that Butts doesn't go missing again.
"Whatever we can do to keep her from getting lost, we're looking into it," Hutsko said.
Jennifer Jiggetts, (757) 222-5150, jennifer.jiggetts@pilotonline.com
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Miracles never cease....
To those of you who can't see the miracle in this situation, to those of you who feel the need to bash and blame her family, to those of you who choose to use this story to throw out your petty little judgements and to those of you who have never lived the horror that is Alzheimers...take three steps back and SHUT UP now. You are way out of your league and your opinions have no bearing. It's crazy to me that people pray for miracles every day and then when one falls into their laps they refuse to acknowledge it for what it is. Shame on you...and double shame on your for attacking this woman's family. YOU have NO idea what they are living through on a daily basis, mentally, physically and emotionally. Why didn't they get the bracelet before? Perhaps they couldn't afford the monthly service...(and yes, I know it's LOW, but do you know how much monthly meds cost for an Alzheimer's patient???) If you're a christian...shame on you all over again for JUDGING. May you also be judged as you have judged.
To Mr. & Mrs. Butts & Family...may he who holds us all in love bring you peace and strength for the days ahead.
So-called Christians are
So-called Christians are some of the most judgmental people out there! Who are you kidding? Sounds like you're saying it's a good thing this woman went through holy hallejulah so we could all witness a "miracle". This was no miracle. This is an amazingly strong woman despite the Alzheimer's, and she is single handedly responsible for her survival. Not too many people of any age or health condition would have made it through what she did. She is the miracle, her essence and strength and obvious resourcefulness on so many levels that most cannot begin to fathom.
Just amazing all of the
Just amazing all of the "head in the sand" attitudes about this story. To proclaim that she is "no worse for the wear" is mighty presumptive. Would any of you able bodied preachers that all is right with the world as she was found alive be so cavalier if it had been you who was out there for over five days, unable to seek help and no one seeing your distress? I think you'd all be pretty upset at how this could happen. And remember, you aren't frail and suffering Alzheimers. But put yourself in this situation, don't worry about why you couldn't make your way out of the elements or get anyone's attention. Would it be such a pretty, bird chirping, miraculous thing that you survived hell on earth? That's what 100 plus degree temps are. You wouldn't have survived because your adrenaline would have your heart beating off of the charts. This lady no longer is able to process stress and that is what saved her. Not God, not prayer. These two may have saved her from stumbling onto a random killer or rapist. You all are the type to send your small children out to play with no supervision, trusting that the occasional adult who observes them will look out for them. Like I said, head in the san
Stephanie
Good thing Stephanie's opinion is the absolute minority. Phew - could you imagine what this world would be like if we have a lot of her!
I can only shudder in horror
I can only shudder in horror if there were an overwhelming lot of the likes of the head in the sand people posting here. I've known quite a few families of Alzheimer's victims, mine included, and nothing remotely approaching the unnecessary ordeal of this poor woman ever occurred. It's called facing reality and acting accordingly. This entire country needs a lot more of it than is happening, and not just with health issues.
We do have a lot of me. They
We do have a lot of me. They are called forward thinking, public policy enthusiasts. Just because there isn't an onslaught of them reading the Pilot and commenting here means nothing. All of you holier than thous on here on this story act like all that happened was she took an unsupervised five minute walk in the park. You just don't get it. Think, why don't you, for a change? Get involved.
Stephanie
Personal attacks are not allowed here so I will not return fire for fire.
I will say that you have made some *giant* leaps in logic, assuming that Christians and others saying that prayer/the Lord saved this woman means that we would let our children/grandchildren play unsupervised because we believe "the Lord looks after everyone so we don't need to do so."
In fact, you have gotten more and more vehement with each post to the point that I don't think it is really this situation that has you up in arms. You have attacked this woman's family publicly, which they have probably read in the on-line version. So your attempt to seem "compassionate" towards the woman who got lost doesn't make sense (if her family were arrested, how would *she* feel *then*???).
Mary Ilene Butts
Wondrous outcome to this situation. Interesting part of the story is that Mr. Smith is taking credit for something he actually didn't do. The hero was a Carmax employee, but it wasn't Smith.
Put Anthony Smith's Picture in the Paper
He's a hero. Show us his face!!! If he was charged with committing a crime against this woman, the Pilot would put his picture in the paper. Let us see him.
Just about every local
Just about every local member of the religious right has come out on this one! Yes, of course, happily Mrs. Butts has survived. But she did not need to go through this horrific ordeal. Who knows what she felt and went through. She may not be able to communicate that at all. The family obviously doesn't have a clue. Hope they get one. She wandered at least two previous times and that wasn't a wake up call to them? No, they don't merit soft, happy cuddles at this moment. They should be charged with criminal neglect because they are surely guilty of it. A caring family doesn't leave the welfare of an alzheimers patient to chance as they have done.