I was watching the early morning local news and I was so surprised when this story popped up about this man..
"Police say Richard E. Eberle, 83, was last seen around 11:30am Tuesday morning at the Tops Plaza on Union Road in Cheektowaga.
Eberle had a doctor's appointment in West Seneca at 2pm, but did not show up.
He is described as a white male, 5'10", 180lbs with gray hair and brown eyes.
Eberle is driving a 2006 Chevrolet Impala, four-door, red, license plate #EFT-450. Any information please contact the Cheektowaga Police Department at 686 - 3510.
Cheektowaga Police "
He was my grandma's sisters husband.. so we are related.. right.. sort of.. he is my cousins dad.. anyway.. what a shock to see he was missing.. and just one moment ago they said he was found in Maryland.. and is ok.. I guess he has some sort of dementia? I havent seen him in quite some time now.. when I was a kid we saw them all the time.. my grandmother and aunt both passed away along time ago now.. but one of the things I remember about my uncle was one new years eve many years ago now. My uncle and I were sitting in one room and my mom aunt and grandma were in another.. there was some documentary show on about WWII and they showed a boat I cant tell you what kind some kind of navy boat. and my uncle just started talking to me about his time in the war.. how he was on that kind of boat in the south pacific and how when they would go into port they would give apples and oranges and candy to all the kids that would be waiting because they knew those children y didnt have alot of food, and how one time when they were out in the pacific and this kamakazi plane was coming right for their boat they were preparing to get ready to be hit when out of no where a US fighter plane came and took the Japanese Kamakazi plane out circled around the boat did a wave to the soldiers on board the boat my uncle was on and was gone.. and how that pilot had saved all thier lives.. and how he was also in Hiroshama the day after we dropped the atomic bomb and all the destruction he saw he didnt go into alot of detail as to what he saw other than to say it was horrific and that they were not allowed to get off the jeeps they were in because they didnt know at that time for sure what the effects would be if they got off the trucks.. turns out my uncle had gotten skin cancer many years later and his Dr determined it was probably from his exposure to radiation during that time he was in Hiroshama. It was one of the best conversations I had ever had.. I still remember it all these years later.. just he and I and him telling me all about his experiences in WWII and how when they were leaving he went out to start the car for my aunt and my aunt looked at me and said I have been married to that man for like 40 or 50 years ( I cant remember now how long they were married at the time ) but that she had never not once in all those years ever heard him talk about any of that stuff. He never talked about what happened in WWII and how did I get him to tell all those stories I said I didnt it was the show we were watching there was a boat the kind he was on and he just started talking and I think he continued because I was interested and was asking questions.. she said I am really impressed.. he has never shared any of those stories with anyone.. which made me feel pretty damn good I must say.. maybe thats why I remember them so much... it was one of the best new years eves I had ever had.. I am glad he shared those with me.. I am sad to hear that he now has dementia.. but am glad they found him ok in Maryland.. and today I cant help but think that my grandma and aunt were watching out for him and it makes me miss my grandma even more today.. I miss her all the time anyway.. she died suddenly when Zach was about 17 months old.. but today I am missing her more than just the everyday missing her.
Well time to snuggle with my kids before they head off to school.. Have a great wednesday everyone.
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I'm so glad to hear that your uncle was found, and is safe! What a scary situation... Thank you for sharing his war stories too :)
Posted by: Sarah Wheeler | March 12, 2009 at 05:38