Rufus David Blair was the subject of a search that called out more than 100 volunteers, law enforcement officers and emergency responders in Conecuh County Wednesday and Thursday – a search that ended well.
Blair was found by volunteers just after 10 a.m. Thursday near a creek near Castleberry at the end of the two-day search.
“It would be easy for anyone to get lost in those woods,” Escambia County Chief Deputy Mike Lambert said.
Blair was reunited with his family who were waiting together at the Castleberry Post Office, officials said.
After his rescue, Blair was taken to D.W. McMillan Hospital where he was being treated for dehydration and other minor injuries.
Friends of the family say Blair was resting comfortably Thursday evening with his family surrounding him at the hospital.
Blair’s disappearance was reported to authorities Tuesday morning after his family discovered him and his car missing from the family home on Cooper Cemetery Road in the Appleton community. The vehicle was found late Wednesday near Red Wine Creek. A shoe, identified by family as belonging to Blair, was found Thursday morning just hours before Blair was found by volunteers.
Escambia County Sheriff’s officers were joined at a command post by volunteers from the community as well as search and rescue teams from Conecuh and Monroe Counties, volunteer fire departments from across the area and search/scent dogs from as far away as Prattville.