Survival on the streets stuns seniors’ family
His family still doesn’t know what happened. Weeks after Domingos Martins was found, his loved ones are trying to put the pieces together.
How did an 83-year-old man with dementia manage to survive for five days without food and his blood pressure medication?
His family calls it a miracle he was found alive after he went missing July 28.
He was discovered outside a factory between a mesh fence and a wood-retaining wall near Weston Rd. and the Hwy. 401 on-ramp — walking distance from his daughter’s home, where Martins lives.
Domingos Martins is recovering after spending a week outside with no food, water or medication
Jack Da Silva said his father-in-law was shirtless when police found him. Police suspect he lost his shirt while trying to crawl into a small hole on the wall. Da Silva said police told him Martins sustained wounds after he got inside the wall and lost his balance due to the sloping surface of the pavement.
“Maggots were already starting to eat him,” Da Silva said. “He couldn’t move. He was in a fetal position (when they found him). It’s nothing short of a miracle. Somebody was watching out for him.”
Da Silva said the family has been trying to figure out what happened in the days his father-in-law was missing. “He hasn’t said anything about that. My wife asked him if he drank rainwater when it rained. He said yes. But, we don’t know. Slowly, we are pushing him to tell the truth.”
Martins spent a week in the intensive care unit where his condition was monitored 24/7, Da Silva said. He has been recovering slowly and his health has improved — his doctors have cleared him of complications, his blood pressure has stabilized and he has started to walk.
With no food, medication or water, and the threat of changing weather conditions, Martins was fortunate to be found alive, said Dr. Sharon Cohen, medical director of the Toronto Memory Program.
Cohen said cases like Martins are common and can be fatal. She said patients slip away so quickly, not because they’re trying to escape but because they’ve become confused.
“In Toronto, it happens every year. People die, or they’re found in a snow bank. They’ve wandered off and can’t find their way home, and they’re often not very far from home,” she said, adding the risk is not adequately understood, even by family members.
“It’s a wake-up call. Luckily (Martins) returned safely, probably very dehydrated and, depending on what medications he needed for various health problems, he’s at risk to suffering worsening health conditions.”
The incident is preventable, Cohen said. While it’s hard to manage someone who has dementia, there are ways to prevent this kind of situation, such as having them carry photo ID and installing door alarms.
Da Silva said his father-in-law has returned home, where the family is keeping a close eye on him. Nobody should go through what his family experienced — the sleepless nights, the guilt and the desperation, Da Silva said.
“The family would like to thank all the family, friends, neighbours, volunteers, police and the staff at Humber River hospital for their support.”
The family is hosting a charity event with Toronto police to promote the importance of GPS bracelets for people with dementia and Alzheimer’s.
“It is something that can be preventable,” Da Silva said. “We want to raise awareness. I think it is time that we look at this seriously because we all have parents.”
The event is scheduled for Oct. 14 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at their family restaurant, Martins Churrasqueira & Grill House, near Keele St. and Rogers Rd.