After more than 22 years without contact, siblings traveled from New York to Northern Nevada for an emotional reunion with their eldest sister through a Carson City outreach program.
According to the Carson City Sheriff’s Office in an online post, the department’s Mobile Outreach Safety Teams received an email at the end of May from a family member seeking help locating a loved one after receiving a bill from the Carson City Fire Department and believing she may be in the Carson City area.
The Carson City Sheriff’s Office Mobile Outreach Safety Teams, known as MOST, are made up of a licensed clinical social worker and a deputy trained as a behavioral peace officer. The program, part of the patrol division, is designed to take referrals from deputies, community partners, other agencies, and community members involving people experiencing a behavioral health crisis in Carson City. The office is also working to expand the program to a third team.
Within 12 days of the email, MOST located the woman, who had been out of contact with her family for more than 22 years. She described herself as a nomad and had been unhoused while traveling around the country since around 2004.
MOST stayed in contact with the family as the brothers and sisters planned their trip from New York to Reno and Carson City. After arriving, they stayed in a local hotel with hopes of reuniting the next day.
MOST and the family drove around Carson City, checking areas the woman was known to frequent. Within about one hour, she was located.
The reunion brought what officials described as extended moments of joy, relief, and overwhelming emotion. The siblings called and used video calls to connect with loved ones across the country, and the woman met family members she had never met before.
The siblings are now working with her to address medical needs so she can travel back to be with her family. They said they never stopped looking for her over the years and immediately made arrangements to travel when they believed there was a chance to find her.
According to the post, staff involved in the reunion said the moment was a highlight of their careers.
(The Carson City Sheriff’s Office contributed to this story.)
