St Ives, NSW: Missing man with dementia Donald Earle found

A man suffering from dementia has been found alive after spending two days in bushland in Sydney’s north.

Donald Earle was found at the bottom of a waterfall after vanishing at 3pm on Saturday from a nursing home in St Ives.

Police began searching for the 63-year-old throughout the Ku-ring-gai area after staff couldn’t locate him, with concern for him rising due to his health condition.

He was found at the bottom of a waterfall on the Mueller Track in St Ives’ Wildflower Garden, just short of 48 hours after he was reported missing.

He was winched out from the bottom of the cliffs and taken to nearby oval at St Ives, where paramedics were waiting.

His wife spoke of the horror of waiting for news about Mr Earle.

“It’s hard to describe; the only way I think I got through this was by keeping busy and getting to be part of the search,” she told 9 News.

“First a big hug, then I’m going to say to him, ‘Never do that again.’”

After being winched from the track at the bottom of the cliffs, he was taken by paramedics to Northern Beaches Hospital for treatment.

It was the “best possible outcome” according to NSW Ambulance Inspector Christian Holmes.

“When we hear of someone who’s been missing for almost 48 hours, we always prepare for the worst, but hope for the best,” Inspector Holmes said.

“Considering the very warm weather over the past few days, his physical condition was better than we expected. He was suffering from dehydration and had some cuts and grazes.”

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7r7HWrGWcp51jrrZ7y6Kdnqukrrmme8eemKWsmGS6prrTmqNmoJWWubW0jqagq5mTobJurcWtnKtlnZ7AtLXNoGSmmZ5ixKrAx2abnqWVo8GqrYyfpq6mlGK2r3nBrqqhZ56axLR50q2mq7Ffa7B2sMSbmJpxkpizooLBnWlumZRqfaKDmJ1on5xhbLI%3D