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73-Year-Old Grandpa Flew 8k Miles to Attend Grandson's Graduation in the US—But Mysteriously Vanished a Day After Landing

Grandpa disappears a day after arriving in U.S from Kenya to attend grandson’s high school graduation. What happened next?

By Sweta Choudhury
Imagine a person travelling all the way to another country, only to go missing the next day suddenly? It's scary, right? Well, this is what happened with Reuben Waithaka, 73, who flew more than 8,000 miles from Nairobi, Kenya, to Calera, Alabama, with his wife, Elizabeth, on May 13 to celebrate their firstborn grandson Byron's high school graduation. But the very next morning, Reuben walked out of his son's home and never returned. Surveillance footage from a nearby Chevron gas station shows that Reuben walked out at 11:48 am on May 15. He was seen walking with his hands behind his back, waving to the store clerk, and then exiting through a rear door. That was the last time he was seen. "He just got here. And then he was gone," Byron told CNN. “It was tragic, but I tried not to let it get to me or bring me down all the way,” Byron added.
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As per The Sun, the sudden disappearance has left the family heartbroken. Waithaka had brought sentimental gifts, including childhood photos of his son and matching shirts for three generations to wear at the ceremony. Yet, instead of a happy and much-anticipated reunion, the graduation took place six days later without him. Meanwhile, CNN reported that his flight to Frankfurt went smoothly, but the second leg of the trip to Atlanta took a troubling turn. Ruben's son Willington said that Reuben Waithaka became agitated amidst the flight, which made the attended ask his wife, Elizabeth, to help him be calm. His confusion only worsened after landing in Atlanta. Waithaka attempted to go the wrong way on an airport escalator and fell, injuring his knee limp from that incident is later visible in gas station surveillance footage. In addition, His daughter, Emily Balua, took Reuben for a CT scan and bloodwork in Calera, both of which came back normal. Later, he showered, took a nap, and ate a light breakfast of fried eggs and tea as he seemed quite exhausted due to massive jet lag. Then, he stepped outside wearing khaki pants and a plaid shirt. His wife briefly followed him but went back to close the garage door. When she returned moments later, he was missing. His daughter-in-law, Mary, posted online: "Even as we navigate the worry and uncertainty of my father-in-law going missing, I know he would want us to celebrate this incredible milestone." According to relatives, Reuben had appeared disoriented since arriving in Alabama. Emily Balua said he may have believed he needed to return home to Kenya, specifically to a town called Kamboni. After a rigorous search, police confirmed that Ruben had received at least two rides that morning, one from someone in the neighborhood and another to the gas station. Meanwhile, Emily has urged people not to give a ride to Reuben if they spot him and to inform the police immediately. "We don't want him to go any farther," she said. As Ruben remains missing at the time of writing this story, his family terribly misses his presence. On June 3, it was his 73rd birthday; sadly, his family marked the day with a nostalgic post. "It's hard to celebrate without the man of the day," grieving his absence. His son was frustrated as he spoke to CNN and said, "Sometimes I regret why I asked my parents to come for my son's graduation. I find myself wondering, 'What would I have done differently?" Waithaka has four children: two in Kenya and two in America. He later added that maybe if he did things differently, his dad would still be with him. Authorities have claimed that Reuben might have undiagnosed dementia, which is a group of diseases where the brain's cognitive function declines and its capability to perform everyday activities, including memory and emotions, is affected. It is estimated that about 50% of people age 85 and older have dementia ( via Cleveland Clinic). Owing to Ruben's age, the Calera Police Department continues to follow leads and is checking with immigration authorities regularly. But as the search enters its second month, leads have slowed down a bit. His son, Willington Waithaka, is worried about how a man who is perhaps exhausted would navigate alone in an unknown country. Even though Reuben had his Kenyan phone with him when he disappeared, nothing remains certain. Police officers have reportedly worked 18 straight days without a day off to find the missing person, and residents have also distributed flyers. Anyone with information is urged to contact Calera Police in Alabama immediately. This is a developing story. Stay tuned for further updates.

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