Man with Autism Missing for Nearly a Month Reunited with Mom, Who Thanks Homeless Community for Helping Him Survive

A man with autism who went missing for nearly a month has been reunited with his mom, who is thanking members of the local homeless community for helping her son.

August Beckwith, 29, first disappeared on Nov. 17 and was last seen in the Sugarhouse neighborhood of Salt Lake City two days later, according to a bulletin previously shared by the National Autism Association.

The association described Beckwith as nonverbal and stated he was “experiencing a severe mental health crisis” at the time he disappeared, noting that he was “extremely vulnerable and unable to seek help.”

His mom, Lori, previously said her son ran off down Wakara Way shortly after they left a local hospital, according to KSL NewsRadio.

August was spotted at the Apollo Burger in Taylorsville on Wednesday, Dec. 10, Aaron Cheshire with the Taylorsville Police Department told The Salt Lake Tribune. The individual who reported the sighting requested a welfare check, he added.

Officers soon arrived at the scene and identified August using a fingerprint scanner, Cheshire said.

The Utah Department of Public Safety announced on Thursday, Dec. 11, that August and his mom had been reunited, according to ABC affiliate KTVX.

In a post on Facebook, Lori said members of the local homeless community helped her son stay alive while he spent more than three weeks on the streets.

Lori claimed August has spent years taking care of the local homeless community, “and in turn, when he needed it most, it appears they took care of him,” according to KTVX.

“I owe a special debt to the homeless men and women of this city, whose vigilance, kindness, and relentless search for August humbled me,” the mom wrote on Facebook. “Some of the most profound generosity came from those with the least to give.” 

She added, “To the person — or people — who gave him layers of warm clothing, boots, and food: you kept him alive. I will never forget it.”

Beckwith also thanked police and the hundreds of volunteers who searched for August, as well as loved ones who showed her support while her son was missing.

“In these weeks, I have learned how many families carry their own silent battles — how many love someone who is suffering from mental illness, and how often they do so without support, without understanding, and without relief,” Lori wrote.

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August’s mom hopes her son’s story will “brighten your spirit in this holiday season,” writing, “let it remind you that compassion is a mighty force; let it inspire greater kindness toward those who struggle in the shadows — on our streets, and in our own homes.”

She concluded, “Thank you. From the depths of my heart — thank you.”

If you or someone you know needs mental health help, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.