A 29-year-old man with autism, August Beckwith, who went missing on Nov. 17 was found after more than three weeks when a tip placed him at Apollo Burger in Taylorsville on Dec. 10. Police confirmed his identity with a fingerprint scanner and the Utah Department of Public Safety announced his reunion with his mother on Dec. 11. His mother publicly thanked members of the local homeless community for providing clothing, boots and food that likely helped keep him alive, and she also acknowledged police and the hundreds of volunteers who searched. She urged greater compassion for people living with mental illness.
Man With Autism Found After Nearly a Month; Mother Thanks Homeless Community for Saving His Life
National Autism AssociationAugust Beckwith, who was missing for 24 days
August Beckwith, a 29-year-old man with autism, was reunited with his mother in early December after disappearing in mid-November during a severe mental health crisis. Family members and officials say the local homeless community—along with hundreds of volunteers and police—played a key role in keeping him safe while he was missing.
Beckwith was first reported missing on Nov. 17 and was last seen two days later in the Sugarhouse neighborhood of Salt Lake City, according to an alert circulated by the National Autism Association. The association described him as nonverbal and experiencing a severe mental health crisis, which made him especially vulnerable and unlikely to ask for help.
His mother, Lori, told KSL NewsRadio that August ran off down Wakara Way shortly after they left a local hospital. For more than three weeks, volunteers and law enforcement searched for him.
National Autism AssociationAugust Beckwith, who was found alive on Dec. 10 after being missing for nearly a month
On Dec. 10, a tipster reported seeing August at Apollo Burger in Taylorsville. Officers responding to the welfare check used a fingerprint scanner to confirm his identity and then took him into care, Taylorsville police said. The Utah Department of Public Safety announced the reunion on Dec. 11.
Gratitude and Reflection
In a public Facebook post, Lori thanked the men and women living on the streets who watched for and aided her son. She noted that August had spent years looking out for people in the local homeless community, and many of those he had helped "appeared to return the kindness when he needed it most." Lori also expressed deep gratitude to police, the hundreds of volunteers who joined the search, and friends and family who supported the family throughout the ordeal.
"I owe a special debt to the homeless men and women of this city, whose vigilance, kindness, and relentless search for August humbled me," Lori wrote. "Some of the most profound generosity came from those with the least to give."
She singled out those who provided warm clothing, boots and food, writing, "To the person—or people—who gave him layers of warm clothing, boots, and food: you kept him alive. I will never forget it." Lori said the experience highlighted how many families quietly contend with mental illness without adequate support, and she hopes August’s return inspires greater compassion during the holiday season and beyond.
Resources
If you or someone you know is in a mental health crisis, the Crisis Text Line can connect you with a counselor. Text STRENGTH to 741-741 to be connected with a certified crisis counselor.
