A Dubai-based Filipino expat has expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the community after her 20-year-old son was found safe following a five-day disappearance.
Annabel Hilo Abing, a 40-year-old mother of four, had been desperately searching for her son, Mark Lester Abing, who went missing on Thursday, November 14, sparking widespread concern.
The family’s frantic search began when Mark Lester, who suffers from schizophrenia, left their Abu Hail home unnoticed.
Annabel recounted that the young man, who is not allowed to leave the house unsupervised, used a set of keys to sneak out. It is believed that he may have ventured out in search of cigarettes.
For five days, Annabel contacted local hospitals, posted on community groups, and even visited the police station to file a missing persons report.
Despite these efforts, she received no concrete leads on her son’s whereabouts until Monday evening, when she took to her personal Facebook profile to plead for help.
“I was worried, I didn’t know where to turn,” Annabel told Khaleej Times. “We were really scared and desperate to find him.”
The post quickly garnered attention, and just hours later, at around 8:30 am on Tuesday, Annabel received a phone call that would bring her relief.
A woman called to inform her that she had spotted Mark Lester in the Hor Al Anz area, near the Bangladesh consulate. The woman recognized him after Annabel shared a photo of her son.
Annabel rushed to the location and was able to confirm her son’s identity before taking him to a nearby hospital for a checkup. Doctors confirmed that Mark Lester was in good health, and Annabel was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief.
“I feel so much lighter now,” Annabel said, her voice filled with relief. “I was just so worried for him, and I’m so grateful for everyone who helped us find him.”
This was not the first time Mark Lester had gone missing. Just three weeks ago, he had disappeared for four days before being found by family members in a nearby cafeteria.
Despite the difficulties in locating him, Annabel remained hopeful that the community’s support would help bring her son home once again.
In her emotional thank-you message, Annabel expressed deep gratitude to everyone who played a part in the search. “We found him. Thank you, everyone. It’s heartwarming how we help each other. God bless everyone,” she said.
Her sister-in-law, Nikki, also took to social media to thank the many strangers who had assisted during the search. “Thank you to everyone for their effort, time, and prayers.
To those who let us borrow your car, to those who searched for him even though we are strangers to you, to those who called, messaged, and posted pictures on their personal social media accounts, to those who reached out to their connections, to those who gave food and drinks to my nephew, and to those who have been with us since day one, thank you very much.”
The outpouring of support from the community has deeply moved the family, and Annabel has vowed to continue caring for her son with the help of her loved ones and the kindness of strangers.