# The Power of the Internet



## Starbuck (Jun 15, 2007)

So I don't know if any of you have been following the James Delory story on the news. He's a 7 year old Autistic boy from Cape Breton who wandered away on Sat afternoon wearing only a shirt, no hat, no gloves, no boots. He was following his dog Chance or vice versa. At any rate he is my cousins boy and lives next door to my parents. My Mom is elderly and something like this could very well be the death of her. When you are away from your family you feel very, very helpless. I kept wracking my brain about where a 7 year old could hole up with his dog in a snow storm and if only I was there I could be out searching tooas I know those woods very well ect. ect.

Now, I'm not a huge fan of facebook as I don't trust it too much, but I did join a group following the story (that was created by the family) I didn't make any comment but was drawn to reading most of them. (Most of it unfounded gossip) However, I found out before my folks that the dog came back I also found out that they have found him and he is en route to the hospital. I was very happy to be able to call Mom and let her know. 

So, even though I may be on the fence at times, it was a comfort to be able to follow the story and not wait for CBC or CTV to update.

I just thank Whomever is up there that they found him.


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## Guest (Dec 7, 2009)

All my relatives were showing up as having joined that group in FB this morning when I logged in. I'm happy to hear he's been found, hopefully the recovery is swift. There are times when the internet makes the world feel incredibly small and connected.


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## keeperofthegood (Apr 30, 2008)

When my daughter was ... 4ish I think, she did the "run away from dad" at The Bay. Longest 20 minutes of my life! I could not imagine nor would I want to imagine what his parents and family (you) have gone through 

I would hope he is well. Have you talked in-voice to anyone there yet?


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## Starbuck (Jun 15, 2007)

keeperofthegood said:


> When my daughter was ... 4ish I think, she did the "run away from dad" at The Bay. Longest 20 minutes of my life! I could not imagine nor would I want to imagine what his parents and family (you) have gone through
> 
> I would hope he is well. Have you talked in-voice to anyone there yet?



Yes I've been on the phone with my Mom a few times, He was found 1.3 kms from the house with a faint pulse. He's been airlifted. His grandmother called mom to give her the details as they were en route to the hospital. I would imagine they had Chance to helop them locate him. I always loved that dog! I would take him for walks when I visited on vacation. Here's to hoping James pulls through ok. It really is a Christmas Miracle!


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

That's great news, I hope he recovers well! Our thoughts and prayers.

Peace, Mooh.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

This is such wonderful news !! 

I hope that James is able to return home from the hospital very soon, to be with his family, friends and his dog.

Dave


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## NIK0 (Dec 6, 2007)

The internet is one powerful medium of information...no doubt about that!!! My only beef is when poeple repeat what they read via google search and claim it is fact :smile: 

In your case the info was spot on...I am very happy for your family!!!! I have a daughter and lost her once at a park right on the lake. It took me 5 minutes to find her but MAN did it take a lot of stress control...I felt like bursting out emotionaly but knew that focus and logical thinking was key!


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## Spikezone (Feb 2, 2006)

Wow, that is good news! I pray for a quick return home for him, and peace for your family.

I also have a story about temporarily losing a child once in the Safeway store where I work. We were shopping there during the crowd of the Christmas rush, and our oldest daughter, who was young at the time, asked if she could go look at the candy. We assumed that she was talking about the bulk foods section by my produce department, but when we went to get her, she wasn't there. We were NEVER negligent with our children, and this is a small town and we were in a store full of my coworkers, but unbeknownst to us, she had been talking about the coin-operated candy machines just outside of the store by the mall doors. After an intense search, we finally found her there, oblivious to our concerns, but I will tell you that that 10 or 15 minutes seemed like an eternity, and yet I can't even begin to imagine your cousin's state of panic. I am so glad to hear his son has been found!
-Mikey


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## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

glad things seem to have worked out. 

one of the few recurring nightmares i ever had, that actually scared the sh!!t
outta me was the one where i lost my son in a sears parking lot. i thank God it never happened.


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## Starbuck (Jun 15, 2007)

I have a young daughter and I cannot ever imagine the horror that any parent must go through in this sort of situation. I think it would age you greatly. My Mom said that the bloodhounds were in her backyard and last night the RCMP came to their house to look in the attic and everything! I hope all will be well.


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## icycle (Nov 24, 2009)

Glad to hear they found. Praying for a speedy and full recovery.


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## keeperofthegood (Apr 30, 2008)

Starbuck said:


> I have a young daughter and I cannot ever imagine the horror that any parent must go through in this sort of situation. I think it would age you greatly. My Mom said that the bloodhounds were in her backyard and last night the RCMP came to their house to look in the attic and everything! I hope all will be well.



My kids just came in from school. I have now totally bear hugged the stuffing out of them!!

I know from exposure myself. I was in a cold room for 8 hours being thawed and lots of dr's in and out during that time discussing all sorts of things. Have you word on when to expect to know how he is doing *hugs*


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

I'm not proud of saying this, but there have been a spate of murder-suicides involving parents and developmentally handicapped kids, primarily in response to caregiver burden and burnout. Then there was the mother with the 12 year-old daughter in Nova Scotia who presented a ruse that the daughter ran away following an argument and eventually was arrested for the daughter's murder. Consequently, when there was no sign after a few days of a child who could not possibly have wandered very far, there was a small part of me that was wondering if this might turn out to be a case where a parent was responsible for the child's death, and the "wandering off" was merely a story given to police.

Like I say, I'm not proud of thinking that thought. I am happy that I was completely wrong, that James was found alive and safe, and that a community's efforts were rewarded by a happy ending. Would that other parents of missing children could be rewarded with the same outcome.

When my sister was little, about 3 or so, she sauntered off in pursuit of a kitten. We were living in a new development, bordering some woods, and the yards had no barriers between them. All it took was a few distracted parental moments to lose a kid under those circumstances. An hour or two after the police had been notified, she was found. The pursued kitten had ducked under a construction shed. My sister tried to follow the kitten but ended up getting wedged in the mud under the shed. She was not in any danger, but were it not for her trying lure to the kitten to her by meowing to it, I think it would have taken much longer for us to find her. The experience appears not to have put a crimp in her affection for kittens.

When our older son was 2-1/2, I brought him to class. It was a Q&A session before the final exam, so it was a rather unstructured class. It was tough staying on track and answering questions with him yanking on my pants, so when he asked to go to the water fountain - the same one that would often take 20 minutes to drag him away from - I yielded to temptation. "Sure, go get a drink and come right back." The first time, he came back. The second time he disappeared, and after a half hour we sent out a search party and found him in another building, being tended to by secretaries who had found him by the ring road and thought he was just a darling. The *third* time (yeah, I know, call Children's Aid on me), he worked his way up two flights of stairs in our building and was found by someone touring the campus during the United Church Annual Conference with his arm jammed between two doors and unable to extricate himself. At the time, he had long platinum blonde hair halfway down his back, and since we didn't dress him in WWF or G.I.Joe apparel, the person who found him picked him up and started canvassing offices on that floor for someone who lost a little _girl_. Even though my office was on that floor and most everybody knew our son, everyone responded with "No" when all they could see was the head of the question-asker and not the actual child. About the same time we (myself and my students) were chasing around the first floor and grounds outside, searching for him. The person who found our wee one was a minister and assumed that the child probably belonged to another visting church member, so he brought the kid to the university centre where the conference info desk was situated. In trying to track down the child, the cue of "long platinum blonde hair" triggered a string of "I saw someone carrying the kid in that direction" from various folks sitting outside eating their lunch. When I finally caught up with him at the university centre, the grannies working the info desk were convinced that this was the most darling little girl they'd ever seen. So, when I arrived all dishevelled from the chase and proclaimed "THERE he is!", they were not predisposed to releasing the child in my custody. The fact that he seemed nonplussed to see me, and didn't visibly register that I was his father did not help matters. Finally, someone stood with him a distance away and asked where his father was, at which point he pointed to me....thankfully. 

It was one of those days where you come home and say "First the good news...".


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## Starbuck (Jun 15, 2007)

keeperofthegood said:


> My kids just came in from school. I have now totally bear hugged the stuffing out of them!!
> 
> I know from exposure myself. I was in a cold room for 8 hours being thawed and lots of dr's in and out during that time discussing all sorts of things. Have you word on when to expect to know how he is doing *hugs*


Not yet, I'll be talking to Mom later to fond out..

Spoke to Mom, they don't know any more really. Took the paramedics 3 hrs to get him out of the forest. They had a tent round him and started rescue. They have airlifted hime to Halifax and the rest you know from the news. It's all specualtion at this point. the sad part is they'll never know what happened really as James is non verbal. I would suspect Chance kept him warm for two nights then got hungry. 

Think happy thoughts for all missing children please.


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## Starbuck (Jun 15, 2007)

*I'm very very sad*

Unfortunately it's not good news Wee James passed this morning...


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## Hamstrung (Sep 21, 2007)

Terribly sorry to hear that. My condolences to you and your family.


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## Big_Daddy (Apr 2, 2009)

Starbuck said:


> Unfortunately it's not good news Wee James passed this morning...


That is so sad. My heartfelt condolences, Starbuck.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Not the happy ending I was hoping for. I suppose if there was any positive side to this, it is that his family got to see him again, knew he had come to no harm by anyone's hand, and that he passed on in the company of those who cared about him and those who did their best.

I'm of an age where one tends to read the obituaries with the same regularity you read the comics, box scores, and letters to the editor. One of the trends I've noticed in recent years is that families of special needs children are less lkely to submit terse unillustrated announcements of passing. People proudly submit lengthy descriptions of their mentally handicapped kids, and pictures that clearly reveal the handicap. That's a good thing, AFAIC. Regardless of what one thinks about the place of persons with severe developmental handicaps in our society, their families love them, and that love should not have to take a back seat to anyone's love for their family members. Special needs kids are undoubtedly an ongoing struggle and challenge for their families, but special needs tend to bring out special qualities in people. Anyone who has brought out the compassion in others has accomplished somethng of import and lived a meaningful life in my books.

If the chance arises, pass along my best wishes for good memories only to the family.

Mark


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## RIFF WRATH (Jan 22, 2007)

such a very sad story, Starbuck........I must admit I was hoping for a happy ending.........all my love to you and your family.........Gerry


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## Starbuck (Jun 15, 2007)

Thanks all, My Mom sounded terrible this morning when she called. She was really hoping a miracle had happened. I had the same thoughts as you Mark. Thankfully he was with family at the end, not cold and alone. While I didn't personally know him (they only just moved back from Alberta) I know his Granparents very well. My heart breaks for them.


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## xuthal (May 15, 2007)

So sorry to hear that Lisa,it's not fair when one so young is taken like that.My condolences to you and you're family.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

So sorry to hear this outcome. My condolences.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

This is so sad and tragic. My condolences to you and to the family.

Dave


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Very, very sorry to hear this sad news. Our thoughts and prayers for you and your family and friends.

Peace, Mooh.


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## Guest (Dec 8, 2009)

Starbuck said:


> Thanks all, My Mom sounded terrible this morning when she called. She was really hoping a miracle had happened. I had the same thoughts as you Mark. Thankfully he was with family at the end, not cold and alone. While I didn't personally know him (they only just moved back from Alberta) I know his Granparents very well. My heart breaks for them.


My heartfelt condolences Starbuck. Some comfort, perhaps, knowing they live in the kind of community that comes together when tragedy strikes? Maybe.


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## SteveS (Apr 25, 2006)

I'm so sorry to hear that Starbuck.

We were following the news down here in Bridgewater and I was shocked to hear that he had passed away.

Our 13 year old and 8 year old twins were all born in the IWK, and I have nothing but the best to say about the staff there. They were wonderful during our time there.
I'm sure he had the best care available.

Take care.

ps, I'm giving all my kids a big hug tonight.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

The TV news reports have been very sympathetic, unsensationalized, and complimentary of the search & rescue folks and others. These are people we sometimes take for granted in today's society, but we're very fortunate to have them and their expertise. I'm very glad they were at least able to deliver the poor boy to his loved ones before he died. Pulls of the heart string all the more.

Peace to one and all, Mooh.


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## Chito (Feb 17, 2006)

Sorry to hear about his demise. Condolences to you and the family.


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## icycle (Nov 24, 2009)

Very sorry to hear the news. Condolences to you and your family.


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## keeperofthegood (Apr 30, 2008)

**hugs** Lisa, I am sorry to hear that too. I just got in, and I was hoping for the best. It is a comfort he had his family and loved ones with him **hugs**


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## Rugburn (Jan 14, 2009)

I just read about what happened at CBCNews.com. Very sorry to hear about his passing. As a parent, it's heartbreaking to think about. Again, I hope your family finds some peace and healing, as hard as that can be through such a loss.

Shawn.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

That's not how I thought the story would turn out. My condolences to the family


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