FL FL - Walter Gella, 78, military veteran, has dementia, wandered off from home in Fruitland Park, may go to Daytona Beach, 1 Dec 2025

[GuyfromCanada]

DEC 1, 2025 post from PD:

MISSING ENDANGERED PERSON

Walter Gella is experiencing a medical episode and went missing from his Fruitland Park residence this afternoon.

He was last seen walking west on Berckman Street wearing a red shirt and tan shorts. He has a white beard and long white hair.

If you see Walter Gella please call the non emergency 352-343-2101 option 4.

https://www.facebook.com/FruitlandParkPoliceDepartment/posts/pfbid02VhYCBwF9iumisGPxTMU3965FApEPhdK8PyUVB4XaSsp77pp2d4qLrZJYtoTZ1zgAl

FEB 24, 2026 article:

Gella suffers from dementia. He's known to enjoy traveling to Daytona Beach, but police said authorities in Volusia County have made no contact with him.

Police ask for public's help locating endangered missing veteran in Lake County

Fruitland Park police said 78-year-old Walter Gella went missing Dec. 1 and that they have been unable to find any sign of the veteran, who has dementia.

www.wesh.com

The distance from Fruitland Park to Daytona Beach is 70+ miles.

Google Maps

 

[PayrollNerd]

Oh my goodness. No one saw him leave the second time he eloped? Did he have enough verbal skills to request a ride from someone to Daytona?

Snip from article:
Earlier in the day, police said he had wandered off from the home, thinking he won a new car. He was taken home by his brother, but later went missing.

The Fruitland Park Police Department said they have searched wooded areas where Gella is known to frequent, including with cadaver dogs, but have found no sign of the man.