OLEAN, N.Y. — Channel 2 photojournalist Catie Brown was able to speak Sunday afternoon with the Geise family about the safe return of their 22-year-old autistic son, Cole.
Steve Geise, who is Cole's father, told her "It's amazing what a small community can do when they really want to pull together. It's a lot of positive stuff in this whole experience."
And indeed, it was a community effort in Olean in finding the 22-year-old Cole, who went missing May 2.
After extensive searches by police, firefighters, family, friends, and volunteers who also spread the word on social media, Cole was spotted Saturday night by staffers in a fast food restaurant and brought back by police.
They figured out he had lived in a vacant Adams Street home for 13 days and was in hiding as he tried to be independent. He used a hoodie to conceal himself while walking on Olean streets.
And according to police, Cole, who again is autistic, was also unaware of the frantic search efforts for him as a special needs adult. Olean Police Captain Robert Blovsky told 2 On Your Side: "He did not know anybody was looking for him. I asked him that. He's very intelligent, I'll give you that. He wanted to be alone, so he left, and he said he was hiding."
His mother, Cassandra Geise, clarified it this way: "Cole didn't run away. Cole -- what did you say you, why did you leave? -- you were on vacation right?"
Cole replied, "Yeah."
Cassandra then emphasized: "He said I was on vacation."
Now it is time for relief and rejoicing for this reunited family. Steve Geise says "It's tears of joy and happiness. It's great to have him back, it really is."
Cassandra Geise added: "He's just that last piece of the puzzle, that's what it was. I mean, you liked seeing everybody. Did you, coming back and seeing everybody?"
Cole replied, "Yeah."
Steve then said, "It's a good experience to know that there's that many people that care about him."
And through social media postings, their situation extended way beyond Olean and Cattaraugus County.
"We had people in Florida. We had people in California. It was just amazing how far it got out, and just to see how many people reached out, and they're like, 'Hey, we hope you find him,' " Steve said.
Olean Police were also relieved with no further investigation. But Captain Blovsky says they did ask Cole to consider carrying a cell phone to keep in touch.
And once again, from the family to anyone who helped look for him or prayed he would be found, Steve Geise said: "People who said they were crying when they found out he was home. The people who found him, that we heard they were. You know it's a good feeling. We really can't thank them enough."