Siobhan Boardman, 37, described the 'complete panic' she experienced when her 16-year-old son Rhys disappeared during a family holiday in Rhyl, North Wales. Rhys, who has autism and ADHD, went missing on Sunday evening (July 19) after setting off for a walk from the caravan site.
Disappearance during holiday
Rhys, from St Helens, became disoriented in unfamiliar territory and decided to try to make his way home. With only £2 and no mobile phone, he traveled by bus and train without tickets, feeling too anxious to ask for help.
His mother said: 'I'd gone to get some food for the kids and when I got back to the caravan I just knew something wasn't right. It was a gut feeling. I went straight into auto-pilot. I ran to security while I was on the phone to 101. I kept trying to tell myself everything would be okay, but we were somewhere unfamiliar and I was in complete panic.'
Community search
Staff at the holiday park started searching while police were contacted. The next morning, Rhys's 10-year-old brother Greg and three-year-old sister Daisy were taken away by Greg's teacher to stay with family. Siobhan explained: 'I didn't want them there because I didn't want them thinking something terrible had happened. But as soon as they left, it just hit me. I was shaking all over.'
Hundreds of volunteers joined North Wales Police and search teams. People from the community, including the deaf community and staff from a local chip shop, turned up to help. Siobhan said: 'It was the school, family, Rob the drone guy. My son Greg is deaf, and the deaf community turned up as well. They completely took me under their wing.'
Safe recovery
On Wednesday morning, fearing the worst, Siobhan prepared herself for a tragic outcome. Then a police sergeant rang to say Rhys had presented himself at a police station in Birmingham. 'He got on the wrong train trying to find his way back to St Helens. He didn't know I'd still be here in Wales, so he was trying to find his way home,' she said.
Rhys had barely eaten, surviving on a tin of vegetable soup that he admitted stealing from Sainsbury's because he was so hungry. He had not drunk anything for three days. At the police station, they gave him espresso cups of water, and he drank the entire tray. Siobhan travelled with two volunteers within the hour to collect him.
Family’s gratitude
Rhys is now home, and Siobhan is still processing the ordeal. She praised the volunteers: 'The volunteers have become family. I wouldn't have been able to do it without them. I can't say thank you enough. I'm so moved by how kind people can be.'
Among the volunteers was Rob Charles, 41, who runs Drone Guy Wales. He joined the search after receiving a plea from Rhys's aunt. Following Rhys's safe return, Rob set up a fundraising campaign to give the family 'the holiday they never got to have,' which surpassed its £1,000 target in 20 minutes. He said: 'It has brought our whole community together. It feels like the whole of North Wales got behind this family.'
