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Sun, Dec 08, 2024 | Jumada al-Aakhirah 7, 1446 | DXB
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Dubai expat thanks strangers for helping her find 20-year-old son missing for 5 days
Annabel Hilo Abing had put out a desperate plea on social media groups after her son had left their home unnoticed on Thursday, November 14
Mark Lester Abing
A Dubai-based Filipino expat residing in Abu Hail has thanked the community after her 20-year-old son was found safe after going missing for five days.
On Monday evening, 40-year-old Annabel Hilo Abing had put out a desperate plea on social media after her son, Mark Lester Abing, had left their home unnoticed on Thursday, November 14.
Speaking to Khaleej Times, Annabel said that since her son's disappearance, their family had been frantically searching for him. She contacted local hospitals and posted in community groups, but received little attention until she shared her son’s story on her personal Facebook profile Monday night.
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Shortly after Khaleej Times published the story around 8.30am on Tuesday, the mother received a phone call with possible information about her son's whereabouts.
"A woman called me to say that she saw my son in the Hor Al Anz area, behind the Bangladesh consulate," said Annabel, adding that she shared a picture of her son to confirm his identity, after which the mother picked him up from the area.
After picking him up, Annabel took the youngster to the hospital for a checkup, where doctors declared him fine.
Annabel after picking her son up
“I feel so much lighter now," said the expat, now greatly relieved.
According to the mum of four, Mark Lester, who suffers from schizophrenia, used a set of keys he found hanging by his grandmother’s room to sneak out of the house around noon that day. The young man, she explained, is not allowed to leave the house unsupervised, and his mother believes he may have gone outside in search of cigarettes.
“I had called hospitals, but there was no sign of him,” Annabel said, adding that she also went to the police station to file a missing persons report the previous day. However, she was told to return today to process the report.
She noted that this isn’t the first time Mark Lester has gone missing. Just three weeks ago, he disappeared for four days, prompting a search by family members before he was eventually found in the nearby cafeteria.
Annabel thanked everyone who assisted in the search, saying: "We found him. Thank you, everyone. It's heartwarming how (we) help each other. God bless everyone."
Her sister-in-law Nikki also took to social media to express her gratitude to the community and to the many strangers who offered help.
"Thank you to everyone for their effort, time, and prayers. To those who let us borrow your car, to those who searched for him even though we are strangers to you, to those who called, messaged, and posted pictures on their personal social media accounts, to those who reached out to their connections, to those who gave food and drinks to my nephew, and to those who have been with us since day one, thank you very much. We appreciate all the gestures. You're one of the reasons things were possible."
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Elizabeth Gonzales
Elizabeth Gonzales is a Digital Journalist who loves writing about the expat life — and ways to make the most of it. When she's not looking for new hacks to share with readers, you may find her giving them a real laugh at one of her stand-up comic events.
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