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RIVERSIDE, CA — (May, 28, 2008) — It’s not everyday that you’re called a guardian angel. But that’s exactly what a Hemet woman is calling members of the Riverside Transit Agency’s (RTA) Dial-A-Ride team who helped locate her missing son.
On the morning of May 19, Otelia Cerecero woke up and discovered that her 36-year-old disabled son, Oscar, was missing from his bedroom. Oscar, who suffered a traumatic brain injury when he was 12, rarely wandered far from the house without telling someone. And that gave Otelia plenty of reason to be concerned.
“There’s no way to describe the fear that went through me,” she said. “I felt so helpless not knowing where he was.”
Cerecero spent the next few moments frantically calling friends and acquaintances, asking if they had seen Oscar. He was still missing five hours later.
Then it hit her. Why not call RTA’s Dial-A-Ride service and ask if they had seen him? After all, both Cerecero and her son were frequent customers and Oscar’s outgoing and friendly personality made him a favorite among drivers.
“It was my last resort,” she said. “I was praying that they would know something. So I started dialing.”
On the other side of town, Rey Judd, an assistant project manager for the Dial-A-Ride service, picked up the phone. Cerecero asked Judd to send a message to drivers in the Hemet area and tell them to keep an eye out for her son. Thanks to the efforts of dispatcher Gina Baca, the message reached dozens of individuals who aided in the search.
“We all knew and loved Oscar,” Baca said, “so we were more than happy to comply.”
One of the drivers who got the message was Richard Coleman. He looked at his watch and knowing he had a few minutes before the group he was going to pick up would be ready and that Oscar was regularly seen at the nearby Wal-Mart, Coleman pointed his vehicle in the direction of the shopping center.
A few minutes later, Coleman spotted Oscar walking on the sidewalk near the Wal-Mart parking lot. After clearing his route by dispatch, Coleman welcomed Oscar on board and drove him home safely to his mother.
“It was a happy reunion,” Coleman said. “I truly care about my passengers and this event was no exception.”
Cerecero credited the dispatchers and drivers for their quick response to a dire situation.
“They were his guardian angels, she said. “I truly believe that.”
RTA Chairman of the Board Karen Spiegel also applauded the Dial-A-Ride staff for their efforts.
“Our number one goal is the safety of our passengers,” Spiegel said. “This is a testament to our ability to work together for an important cause.”
The Riverside Transit Agency provides public transportation for Western Riverside County, operating 39 fixed routes, 7 commuter routes and 15 demand response services. RTA’s service area spans 2,500 square miles, the second-largest in the nation. For bus route and schedule information contact RTA at (800) 800-7821 or log on to our Web site at www.RiversideTransit.com. |
