A missing 6-year-old boy with autism is finally safe after spending two terrifying days lost in the rugged woods of rural Kentucky.
Raising a child on the autism spectrum comes with unique joys and challenges. These kids often have a deep curiosity and a tendency to wander without really understanding the danger around them. They might not respond when someone calls their name and they can get overwhelmed easily. Roman Heilman, of Louisa, Kentucky, is one of these sweet boys who loves to play outside.
He vanished near his home on Sunday afternoon, November 1. He was last seen wearing a green fur jacket, red-and-white pants, and Crocs. Police spokesperson Sherry Bray said he had simply walked away from his house.
The response to Roman’s disappearance was massive. More than 300 volunteers searched the rugged woods on foot and horseback alongside Kentucky State Police and search-and-rescue crews from neighboring states.
Searchers eventually found a muddy footprint that led to Roman’s clothes, including his diaper. Emergency management director Travis Hughes knew time was running out: the child had no clothes, and rain was moving in. The National Autism Association publicly asked searchers to sing one of Roman’s favorite songs, “If You’re Happy and You Know It,” in hopes he would join in and lead them to his location.
On Tuesday morning, Roman finally emerged from the brush about a mile and a half from his house. He was naked, dehydrated, and covered in briar scratches, but he was safe. He had his little dog with him the whole time.
One local man, Jacob Mullins, recalled, “He came out of the bushes saying ‘E-I-E-I-O horsey.’ He just walked right out of the bushes over onto a horse trail.” Searchers wrapped him in a sweatshirt, fed him a banana, and brought him off the mountain to get checked by medical staff.
What makes a community strong isn’t how many people it has, but how united they are. Every single person in such a community treats their neighbor’s heartbreak as their own. They step in to help as if it’s a family matter.
Jesus said to love your neighbor as yourself, and these people actually did it. They didn’t just pray about it; they put their boots on and went out into the cold woods to find this little boy.
Let our communities become beacons of God’s love that hold each other during times of trouble and work as one family to keep each other safe.
Let’s praise the Lord that Roman is safe. Let’s also pray for every family raising a child with autism. May God give these parents the strength, patience, and wisdom they need each day, and may He protect each of their precious children wherever they go.
WATCH: Missing Boy With Autism Walks Out of the Woods After 2 Days Saying “E-I-E-I-O”
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