BUCKNER, Mo. — A prayer vigil is planned for Friday night for people to gather and ask for the safe and quick return of Hellen Cook, the 72-year old woman who walked away from her home outside Warsaw on Saturday.
Link to the family’s facebook page ‘Find Missing Alzheimer’s Woman Hellen Cook’
On both Wednesday and Thursday evenings, a group gathered to go door-to-door and distribute pictures of Hellen Cook. They want to keep Hellen’s name and picture in the forefront of people’s minds.
As each day passes, family and friends try not to lose hope.
“It’s really hard because my thinking was that somebody good picked her up and within 15 minutes they’d know something was wrong with her, they’d call the sheriff or the police or take her to one or the other. That hasn’t happened,” said her husband, Howard.
They’ve been married 51 years.
Howard and Hellen were doing yard work Saturday morning, so he didn’t notice right away that she was gone.
“I took the mower out to the barn and while I was blowing the grass off and putting it away, she walked off,” Howard said.
Passers-by saw a woman, most likely Hellen, walking and carrying a stick and a pair of boots.
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Benton County authorities say they have used eleven different search K-9s from around the area and all the dogs determined Hellen walked to the intersection of Cold Springs Ave. and Missouri Route 7 Highway.
Then the K-9s lose track of her, which makes police believe she may have gotten into a car.
Benton County said one eyewitness observed an older female entering a newer model, dark-colored Ford F-150, about four miles south of Lincoln, Mo. on US 65 Highway.
The woman was wearing clothing that matched the description of the clothing Hellen was wearing. (white top and blue jean shorts.) Hellen is barely five feet tall, and 100 pounds.
If anyone has further information about this lead, or may have picked up a female on the roadside between two and three o’clock Saturday afternoon, Benton County asks you to contact them at 660-438-9555.
Her family says Hellen needs medication and expects she is extremely disoriented and confused.
The prayer vigil for Hellen is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. Friday at the Blue Springs Assembly of God, 2501 NE Duncan Rd.
“I just keep thinking at anytime she’s just going to walk over that hill and walk in the door and say why didn’t you come get me and so we’re just waiting for that moment to happen,” said Terri, the Cooks’ daughter.
