July 18th 2024.
Lisa's parents, Bronwen and Stan, were set to embark on an exciting trip to Italy. As a one-time PA, Bronwen made sure all their travel preparations were in order, including insurance and EHIC cards. Nothing could go wrong, or so they thought. But when Lisa visited her parents in Yorkshire a month before their trip, little did she know it would be the last time she would see them for a while.
It was early July when Lisa got a call from her sister, informing her that their parents had gone missing while on their coach tour in Italy. They were supposed to return from an excursion, but never showed up. The travel company contacted Lisa's sister, the emergency contact, but they had no information on their whereabouts. With no news and growing concern, Lisa's sister and the rest of the group returned to the hotel, leaving one driver behind to search for their missing parents.
As the hours passed with no updates, Lisa's worry only increased. She couldn't imagine what could have gone wrong. Her mother, despite being 84 years old, was a resourceful and intelligent woman. It seemed unlikely that they would have missed the coach unless something terrible had happened. While her sister was in contact with the travel company, Lisa considered calling the UK consulate, but she wasn't sure if she was overreacting.
Feeling helpless and scared, Lisa turned to social media for help. She posted on a platform called X, asking for any information or assistance in locating her parents. She had seen similar posts before and hoped for a positive outcome. Meanwhile, she also contacted the UK foreign office to report her parents missing. However, they advised her to contact the Italian police as they had no jurisdiction in the matter. They promised to keep her updated if any news came in.
As the night wore on, Lisa's sister tried to reach the police in Venice, while Lisa continued to call her mother's phone repeatedly. Finally, a man named David answered her call. He was visiting Venice from Vienna and had found Lisa's stepfather, Stan, who was lost and confused. David had taken him to a restaurant and called Lisa back from his phone, allowing her to speak to her stepfather after almost five hours of being missing.
Although relieved that Stan was safe, Lisa was worried about her mother, who was still missing. She updated her post on X, thanking David for his kindness and asking for help in finding her mother. The post gained a lot of attention, with people in Venice taking to the streets to search for her mother and offering prayers. Someone even tagged the UK consulate, which caught the attention of the UK Ambassador for Italy, Ed Llewellyn. He contacted Lisa and assured her that the embassy was doing everything they could to find her mother.
Finally, at 1am, the Venetian police located Bronwen at a hospital. She had been missing for 10 hours. However, Lisa's relief was mixed with worry as she couldn't get through to the hospital to check on her mother's condition. Desperate for information, Lisa contacted a British woman, Julia Buckley, who lived in Venice. Julia had seen Lisa's post and found her email address through her website. She offered to go to the hospital and act as a friend of Lisa's to get updates on Bronwen's condition.
Julia's call to Lisa was the most relieving sound Lisa had ever heard. Her mother was safe and being treated for a high fever and dehydration. Julia even took Bronwen's blood-soaked clothes home to wash, and by lunchtime, Bronwen and Stan were reunited. They had spent several hours not knowing if the other was safe, so the joy of being reunited was immense. They were escorted back to their hotel, where they rested before continuing their trip.
The experience was a reminder of the kindness of strangers. Julia, David, and another person named Kelvin had all played a vital role in reuniting Lisa's parents. The people on X who had shared their good wishes and offered help also showed the power of a supportive community. Lisa's mother is now recovering well, and they have all agreed to carry air tags with them on future travels, just in case. The kindness of strangers has been life-changing, and Lisa hopes to never have to rely on it again.
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