After a thorough search by several law enforcement agencies and volunteer teams, an 80-year-old man who had been missing for five days was discovered alive in a forested area in Gaithersburg.
The Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) reports that William Heyward was around Green Farm Conservation Park when he was the target of a Silver Alert. Montgomery County Fire Rescue took him to a nearby hospital because he was in critical condition.
Heyward, who suffers from health problems, was initially reported missing on Friday morning, June 27, 2025. At around 9:30 a.m., Montgomery County Department of Police 6th District officers responded to a missing-at-risk call at a home in the 7500 block of Brenish Drive.
Investigators estimate that Heyward was last seen at around two in the morning. Later that morning, his caregiver found him missing, along with a black and white blanket he was carrying. With assistance from specialized units, Montgomery County Police launched a search, and a Silver Alert with a photo of Heyward and his last known whereabouts was broadcast across several media outlets.
As temperatures rose and there was a lot of rain in the area over the next several days, worries about Heyward’s safety increased. The black and white blanket was found by Maryland-National Capital Park Police officers on Wednesday, July 3, close to Green Farm Conservation Park. Following that, a coordinated search was conducted by volunteer canine teams, the Special Operations Division, Park Police Special Operations, and Montgomery County Police 6th District officers.
After being discovered alive in dense undergrowth, Heyward was given on-scene medical care before being taken to the hospital.
