Neighbors and family give new details about viral video of elderly man wandering neighborhood
WILMINGTON, N.C. (WWAY) — Less than a week after a video showing an elderly man wandering through a Wilmington neighborhood went viral, those involved say it may have been a misunderstanding.
The video, widely shared on social media last week, shows the man walking along Ern Way wearing only an orange T-shirt and a pair of pull-ups. In the footage, a neighbor, identified as Jonathan Pigford, is seen helping the man walk back toward his home a few houses away before a woman directs the man to turn around.
The video prompted a response from the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office, with a deputy seen Monday leaving the home where the man lives with his sister, Deborah Porter, who serves as his caretaker.
On Wednesday, photos showed the man being placed on a gurney and transported by ambulance.
In a brief conversation, Porter confirmed that she is responsible for her brother’s care and stated that he requires a higher level of medical attention.
“He needs memory care and skilled nursing, and this is the best place for it,” Porter said.
A neighbor, who asked not to be identified, said this is not the first time the man has done this and described ongoing issues the man is dealing with.
“She has alarms on her back gate so when he opens it, it goes off,” the neighbor said. “He’s always in his underwear and some kind of shirt and just starts walking. He’s just not mentally there.”
The neighbor added that Porter appears to be doing what she can to help her brother.
“I heard a woman in the backyard helping him a few days ago, so obviously she’s brought someone in to help,” the neighbor said. “If his brain is not occupied, he gets up and starts walking.”
Pigford, who assisted the man in the video, said he believes the man is now in a safer situation but urged the public to stop harassing Porter.
“I just want him in a better place — he’s in a better place,” Pigford said. “I’ve been getting death threats and all types of stuff. I’ve been telling everybody, the police are handling it. Leave her alone. What happened is horrible, but I don’t want her to be bullied and harassed by people online.”
Officials with the New Hanover County Department of Social Services and local emergency medical services declined to comment due to confidentiality
