HI HI - Valerie Park, 83, Hāna, Maui, 5 Nov 2020

[PommyMommy]

Maui Now: Missing Person: Hāna Woman Last Seen Thursday Night

The Maui Police Dept is requesting the public’s help in locating Valerie Park, 83.

• She was last seen on Thursday, Nov. 5, 2020 at about 8 p.m., at her home in the East Maui town of Hāna.
• On Friday, Nov. 6, 2020 at around 5 a.m., she was discovered gone.
• Valerie is approx 5'6" tall and 110 lbs with gray hair and brown eyes.
• She was last seen wearing a bright, multi-colored night robe but may have changed to unknown clothing prior to leaving the residence.
• Police say Park may have hitchhiked to the Kahului or Wailuku area.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Maui Police Department non-emergency number (808) 244-6400, or call 911 if it is an emergency.

Maui Police Department

 

[rainynights]

MPD press release: Maui County

Maui Police searching for missing 83-year-old woman

 

[Darling136]

An 83-year-old lady hitchhiking?! Wow!

 

[technicallymissing]

An 83-year-old lady hitchhiking?! Wow!

I lived on Maui for a little while and hitchhiking is very much the norm there. I was surprised coming from California but it seemed less weird the longer I was there because so many people know each other. 83 seems a little old... but then again maybe not, if she had lived there for a long time I can see how it would feel perfectly safe.

 

[brooks]

She looks fantastic in the photo. Praying she is safe.

 

[PommyMommy]

NOV 12, 2020
Search is ongoing for Hana woman | News, Sports, Jobs - Maui News

• Wednesday marked the 6th day that Valerie Park has been missing.
• Hundreds of volunteers are combing the island for signs of her.
• Family, friends, and volunteers have searched East Maui, especially the areas Park would frequent.
• Valerie has dementia and is hard of hearing.
• “We went over and over the same areas. There is no sign of anything,” said Park’s niece.
• “We like to think she caught a ride, and she came out this way (to Central Maui). Maybe someone dropped her off on this side,” she added.
• So far, no one has called to say they gave her a ride, and she doesn't drive.
• She did not have children but helped raise her nieces and nephews.
• A community meeting was scheduled for Wednesday in Hana where a more formal search sign-up would be held.
• Maui police and members of the Maui Fire Department and Maui Search and Rescue have all been looking for Park.
• Park would not normally go toward water, but coastline searches have not been done because of rough conditions.
• Volunteers also have been visiting homeless shelters and encampments around the island.
• KK said her aunty does not have any money or identification with her; her handbag was found at home.
• Park does take medication for high blood pressure.
• Park does not hear well but reads lips. When speaking to her, face her.
• There have been times that Park felt she needed to get to work, even though she is retired, said KK.
• Park used to work for the county Parks and Recreation Dept in Hana.
• Park, who loves to dance hula, lived alone.
• Family members frequently checked on her and cooked her meals. She also went to an adult day care program several times a week.
• Her family lives all around her, KK said. “They see her every day."

 

[YaYa_521]

https://www.facebook.com/mauisearchandrescue/photos/a.1430896870484865/2776388232602382/
7 Nov 2020
MISSING: MSAR requests your assistance to find Hana's beloved Valerie "Val" Park, an 83y/o pure native Hawaiian who suffers from dementia. She was last seen on 11/5 before 9pm and was reported missing the next morning on 11/6 in the Koali area of Hana on Maui. Val did not drive away, but had a strong desire to get to Kahului. If anyone has information about Val's whereabouts, Please call MPD (808)244-6400, MSAR (808)769-6785, or in an Emergency 911.

 

[spyblond]

Valerie was recently entered into NAMUS
The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Interestingly, the circumstances listed that she went missing in are a bit different from what was originally reported.

"Circumstances of Disappearance
Valerie had been secured in her unit in a facility in Hana, Hawaii on 11/05/2020. Her unit door was found to be pried open from the inside and it was found she had gone missing from this location. Valerie not been seen since."

 

[Unsolved]

Her unit door was found to be pried open from the inside and it was found she had gone missing from this location. Valerie not been seen since."

<snipped>

Valerie sounds desperate to get to Kahului, or somewhere else she really, really wants to be.

This reminds me of the Leon Vincent thread about an elderly man in Ohio who was missing. When I made a similar comment about him wanting to go somewhere, another poster with a one message history (family?) jumped in and said "Baltimore - home was definitely Baltimore" as to where he might be trying to go to.

I can't imagine the sadness some dementia patients must have to never be able to get to where their heart yearns to be. Though JMO where they want to be is somewhere in their past, with family and friends from that period, never to be found again...

 

[lindamichelle1]

Where did you go Valerie?

 

[PommyMommy]

Valerie Park – The Charley Project

Valerie Park​

Park, circa 2020

• Missing Since 11/05/2020
• Missing From Hana, Hawaii
• Classification Endangered Missing
• Sex Female
• Race Pacific Islander
• Age 83 years old
• Height and Weight 5'6, 110 pounds
• Clothing/Jewelry Description A bright multicolored night robe, blue sweatpants, brown slippers, a beanie hat, a wedding ring and possibly a bracelet.
• Medical Conditions Park suffers from dementia, needs medication for high blood pressure, and is hard of hearing. She reads lips to understand what people are saying.
• Distinguishing Characteristics Pacific Islander female. Gray hair, brown eyes. Park wears eyeglasses. Her nickname is Val.

Details of Disappearance​

Park was last seen at her residence in Hana, Hawaii at 8:00 p.m. on November 5, 2020. At 5:00 a.m. the next day, she was discovered missing. Her handbag with her money and identification was left behind.

Park is a retired Parks and Recreation Department employee. She is childless, but did help raise her nieces and nephews, and she was close to her family and saw them daily. She does not drive and according to her family it would be uncharacteristic of her to go into the water. An extensive search of the area turned up no indication of her whereabouts. Her case remains unsolved.

 

[Lwieckowicz]

Whenever I hear someone is missing and can’t be found in Hawaii I think of a case where a man went missing in his own back yard because he fell into a lava tube. I wonder how common this is? US man dies from fall down lava tube in his garden - BBC News

 

[Miss T Ruth Hunter]

Where is she going at 8pm at night ?? and hitchhiking ?? and who visited her at 5am to notice she was gone ?? I know a few elders - some of them are likely to hitch a lift - but don't know any of them who would hitchhike after 8pm if they were expecting someone at 5am ... was she answering a call for help ?? did someone trick her to get into a car? what police officer says an 83-year-old woman would consider hitchhiking without a solid reason after 8pm ??