“HE WAS LITERALLY A BIG KID IN A MAN’S BODY…”  MISSING DAD WITH DEMENTIA FOUND IN FLOODPLAIN NEAR HOME

A family’s desperate search for their missing father has ended in heartbreak after his body was discovered in a wooded floodplain less than two weeks after he walked away from home.

Thurman Walker, 75, was reported missing from his Groveport, Ohio, home on Aug. 19.

His family knew his dementia could make it difficult for him to find his way home, prompting police and the community to launch an immediate search.

HE WAS ONLY GOING FOR A WALK

Walker was last seen leaving his home on foot at around 12:47 p.m.

He was wearing a gray Ohio State University hoodie, jeans, white shoes and a black Ohio State hat.

His family initially feared that his memory impairment could leave him unable to safely navigate back home.

What followed was an extensive search involving police officers, volunteers, drones and additional public-safety agencies.

FOUND WITHIN WALKING DISTANCE OF HOME

More than a week later, on Aug. 28, volunteers searching the area discovered Walker in a floodplain near Big Walnut Creek.

The location was described by police as being within walking distance of his home.

But recent flooding and dense vegetation had made the area extremely difficult for search teams to navigate.

The Franklin County Coroner’s Office is now conducting a full examination as authorities continue investigating the circumstances surrounding his death.

“HE LOVED HIS FAMILY”

Walker’s daughter Brittany remembered her father as someone who never met a stranger.

She described him as witty, sarcastic and always wearing a big smile.

“He loved Ohio State. Loved his family. Was a family man,” she told PEOPLE.

He was also a father of five and had worked in IT for more than four decades, including more than 25 years at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus.

For his family, he was much more than the missing-person case that brought an entire community together.

He was a beloved father, colleague and friend.

A COMMUNITY THAT NEVER STOPPED LOOKING

Police said the search continued every day until Walker was located.

Authorities also praised the volunteer organizations and public-safety partners who helped search difficult terrain and supported the family throughout the ordeal.

Now, the family is left with grief — and questions that may not be answered until the coroner completes the examination.

Thurman Walker left home for what may have seemed like an ordinary walk. His family spent more than a week hoping he would come home.

Instead, a community came together to bring him back to his loved ones.