Efforts under way for return to tropics

DOMINIC GEIGER spent marching up and down the Bruce Highway, Mr Fomenko’s move will not be easy.

Since trying to walk to Sydney and reunite with his family in 2012, he has been confined to a wheelchair, unable to walk at the Gympie nursing home.

But the centre’s chief executive Robyn Kross said Mr Fomenko, 87, had made it clear he wanted to return to the Far North.

“He’s expressed that wish on quite a few occasions and we’re now working with him,” she said. “But it’s still very early stages at the moment.

“He has certainly expressed his wish to us that he would like to go back to Cairns.

“So it’s about trying to find a facility able to take Michael, to care for him and it’s making sure we’re working with his family and friends and making sure they’re happy.”

The centre was only recently able to make contact with Mr Fomenko’s Armidale- based sister Inessa, who told the Cairns Post this week she too believed her brother wanted to go home.

She also called for friends and fans of Mr Fomenko to send him letters and Ms Kross yesterday said the mail was already pouring in.

“We have about half a dozen letters, so we’ll pass them on to Michael,” she said.

“He’s still going quite well, he’s still very much the same as when he arrived.”