A couple from Kansas City flew to San Francisco in search of their missing son in the Tenderloin neighborhood. The worried parents took to the city streets on Sunday, tirelessly hiking up and down in the hopes of finding their son, Dorrell King.
Crystal King, the mother of King, expressed that they traveled a long way to communicate their feelings to him. Their message was simple; they miss him and want him to stay safe.
According to the parents of Dorrell King, a 43-year-old man who is homeless and battling addiction, he was reported missing in November 2023. The police suggested that he might be located in the vicinity of O’Farrell and Turk streets, where drug use is prevalent.
Dorzell King, the father, expressed his pain and heartache, saying that it hurts to see his son sink to such a low level.
Urban Alchemy, a local nonprofit, was instrumental in the search for Dorrell. Al Ibarra, a representative from the organization, shared that in his experience working with unhoused individuals, they can suddenly disappear after months of interaction.
According to Ibarra, homelessness is a complex issue that can result from a variety of unfortunate circumstances. While good news occasionally arises, more often than not, it’s bad news. It’s unfortunate that these individuals come from families and have experienced something in their lives that has led them to become homeless.
Despite the distance of over 1,500 miles from their home, Dorrell’s parents refused to give up on locating their son in the city.
After watching KRON’s news story, JJ Smith, an advocate against drug use who assists homeless individuals in the Tenderloin area, spotted Dorrell in the Mission District on an early Monday morning. Smith promptly stepped in and aided in reuniting Dorrell with his parents.
In an interview with KRON, Smith revealed that the moment he saw Dorrell on the news after watching it was so fast that he couldn’t believe it had happened.
Initially, Dorrell had reservations when Smith called out his name. Smith shared, “I had already spoken to his parents, so when I approached him, I simply handed him the phone. He was taken aback to learn that his family was on the line.”
According to Dorrell’s parents, they will motivate their son to come back to Kansas and focus on his recovery.
In an interview with KRON, Smith expressed his belief in providing a second chance to those who are going through hard times. He emphasized that many individuals living on the streets are facing immense struggles, and some of them avoid going back home due to fear or other reasons. Smith added that having a family looking for them means that there are people who care and can offer support to help them get back on their feet.