LITTLE AJ BACK HOME WITH MUM
STILL holding tight onto his mother Kelly, young AJ Elfalak is now back at his family’s Putty home almost 24 hours after he was miraculously found.
With scratches on his face showing the toll of four days alone in the bush, three-year-old AJ was released from Maitland Hospital on Monday night, with his mum saying she was just relieved to have him home.
“He’s with us, he’s here, he’s safe and well and healthy, that’s all that matters,”
Mrs Elfalak said. “I heard (about the public response), I haven’t seen anything and everyone’s telling me, I just want to thank everyone – the media, the police, the RFS, the SES, everyone that prayed for us.”
AJ, who had been missing since Friday, was spotted by a police helicopter late on Monday morning, with video taken from on-board the chopper showing the moment the youngster was spotted in the bush.
SES workers from Port Stephens then trekked into the bush to get him and he was reunited with his family soon after.
After 72 hours of frantic searching alongside SES, police and other volunteers, the extended Elfalak family spent last night celebrating around an open fire.
On Tuesday morning they began carving up a cow ahead of a large final barbecue planned for that afternoon.
Much like AJ’s parents Kelly and Anthony, many of the relatives and friends still at the home remain in shock that what seemed destined for tragedy has ended in a miracle.