Virginia Leong was found on July 25. Credit: Victoria Police Department
It’s a remarkable story. A 93-year old woman reported missing early yesterday morning in Esquimalt is safe and recovering in hospital. Calvin To has more.
A 93-year-old woman who went missing for almost 31 hours has been found and taken to the hospital, according to Victoria police.
Victoria Leong, who celebrated her birthday last week in Vancouver, was found just before 1:30 p.m. Tuesday afternoon on a trail the 1900 block of Meadow Vale Drive in View Royal near Thetis Lake. Police said the passerby who located Leong called an ambulance as they were concerned for her welfare. Leong had fallen, couldn’t get up and was calling for help. The ambulance took Leong to the hospital and she is receiving necessary medical care, police said.
She is now recovering in hospital. Her family told CHEK News she was found dehydrated and tired. Leong had been visiting the family for a wedding.
“Honestly, when I woke up this morning I didn’t know what to think and was very worried. I was starting to fear the worst. And I’m so thankful that she was found and in such surprisingly good condition,” Kate Donovan, Leong’s granddaughter, said.
MISSING LOCATED | Virginia Leong has been located and is currently headed to the hospital. TY to #yyj for all your help.
— Victoria Police (@vicpdcanada) July 25, 2017
Leong was reported missing Monday after she left for a walk from the 400 block of Treebank at 6:30 a.m. in Esquimalt.
According to police, Leong is not from Victoria and is not from the area. Her family was concerned for her welfare as Leong is diabetic and did not have ID or a cellphone.
B.C. RCMP used a helicopter to search along the Gorge for Leong on Monday. Victoria police, Metchosin Search and Rescue, Military Police, the Saanich Fire Department, West Shore RCMP, Saanich Police and the Peninsula Emergency Measures Organization’s search and rescue team also took part in the search.
“It was huge,” Const. Matt Rutherford with VicPD said.
“There was a lot of resources that we brought in from urban search and rescue teams to other neighbouring police departments to the fire department as well. The RCMP helicopter came down from up island.”
Family members said they have been overwhelmed by support from the community.
“Funny thing about the story is, paramedics came, got her, they cut her jacket, she gave them crap for doing that. They apologized, so, yeah, that’s my great aunt,” Christopher Lee, Leong’s great nephew, said.
A helicopter searches along the Gorge on July 24 after a report of a missing 93-year-old woman.
A helicopter searches along the Gorge on July 24 after a report of a missing 93-year-old woman.
Alexa Huffman
