Willard McKay’s health improving after his five-day ordeal
Search continuing for grey van; speculation it might be in a river
Willard McKay is drinking lots of fluids and eating heartily after being found badly dehydrated and lying along the side of a woods road, a family member says.
“He’s offering food off his plate to us even though he hadn’t eaten in days,” his daughter-in-law Tammy McKay said, with a laugh.
“He’s drinking a lot, which is good,” she added. “But other than that he just wants to get out of the hospital. And we’re not ready to let him go yet.”
McKay, 80, of Balfron was found laying on the side of a woods road late Wednesday afternoon in Saltsprings, Cumberland County. He had been missing since about 10:30 p.m. Friday, after last being seen at a residence in New Annan.
His Dodge Caravan has still not been located.
“It’s unbelievable that they haven’t found it. We don’t know how many miles he put on his feet,” Tammy McKay said.
The RCMP have been patrolling back roads searching for the grey van and family friends also headed out on four-wheelers Friday to aid the effort, she said.
It is not believed that the van was stolen, his son Mark said, because McKay still had his keys and other personal effects on him when he was found. According to a Facebook post, there is speculation the van may have ended up in a river, based on what McKay has been able to tell them.
McKay himself has not been able to clear up any of the mystery of his ordeal and whereabouts over the past few days.
“He’s still confused. I mean, there’s a little bit of dementia going on there,” Tammy said.
McKay was without heart and blood pressure medication for about a week and after he has become more stabilized he will be transferred to hospital in Tatamagouche.
“Being off his meds for so long it’s going to take a while for his heart to come back to normal,” Tammy said.
The family has been overwhelmed with the overall community support throughout the ordeal including from the hundreds of volunteers and RCMP who participated in the ground and air search.