We found 72-year-old Veteran Thomas Thornton in his car underwater, solving a 7-month-old missing person case in Huxley, Texas, bringing home a father, grandfather, and friend.
This documentary brings you alongside Adventures With Purpose’s search on October 24th, 2021, following the clues Thomas left behind, leading to the discovery of where Thomas and his SUV had gone missing in Texas at the Huxley Bay Marina 7-months earlier, before being found and recovered.
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CASE DETAILS
Thornton, 72, had not been seen since a surveillance camera captured him leaving a gas station in Hemphill on Wednesday, March 24.
The Vietnam War veteran who lived in the Mt. Neches area of Tyler County, Texas had been suffering from early stages of dementia.
Thomas was driving a dark gray 2017 Ford Edge SUV with Texas license plate NJJ-8580.
He had never been heard from again.
Clues we had to work with.
Thomas was last seen on Wednesday, March 24th leaving his home in the Town Bluff Community to go to Walmart in Jasper, but he hasn’t been seen or heard from since.
Family members say the Vietnam Veteran is in the early stages of dementia.
Cell phone and credit card activity had placed Thornton in Hemphill, Many, Louisiana, and finally in Center, but that’s the last traceable activity.
AWP then breaks down a search area looking at the most likely access points into the water near the last known locations.
Identifying the Huxley Bay Marina as having a straight road into the lake with no gates or turns, this made the most logical location to begin our search for Thomas.
After just 12-minutes on the water using sonar, we identified a vehicle underwater while members of our team found Ford Edge SUV pieces laying on the shore of the lake.
Upon diving on the vehicle, it was confirmed to be Thomas’ Ford Edge, license plate NJJ-8580.
We are humbled by the opportunity all of you have given us to help in the search for answers as to what happened to Thomas.
Hug the ones you love for you never know when it might be the last time you see them.
As of the release of this documentary, because of your support: 16 Missing Person Cold Cases Have Been Solved since 2019, bringing resolution and answers to families looking for their lost loved ones.
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🎬🿠Watch More of Our Episodes
SOLVED 84-Year-Old Missing Person Case.. (Nadine Moses)
SOLVED 8-Month-Old Missing Person Case (Nicholas Allen)
SOLVED: Found Tammy Goff (Ep. 4) Missing 3-Years Underwater
#scubadiving #missingperson #documentary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldgecWJMGfs ** (Disclaimer: This video content is intended for educational and informational purposes only) **
I don't know what I can do, but I'd join up with these boys in a second. Thanks for bringing Thomas home!
Why does a person with dementia have access to a car and car keys??? They shouldn't be on the road driving period!!
Thanks!
God bless this famly. You are doing a great thing, gents. I wish I could afford to donate, but I'm an old gal myself living on disability.
I really felt for the young lad from Depths of History. Such a kind-hearted soul, he is. I hope you are all doing well and that this family is able to rest knowing Mr. Thornton is safe and finally home.
Heather🇨🇦
It's crazy to think that Mr Thornton was in his car, 75 ft off the bank for 7 months. It makes you think, how many other people are in their vehicle in water somewhere
Its so sad we send them into war and they make it back to the usa and they still fighting a war in their heads with ptsd this just sucks but im happy yall brought this vet back to home to his family
RIP Thomas. Blessings to your family and friends. Thanks to the AWP crew and friends for finding him.
I'm a veteran and it's sad to see veterans dissappear like this my heart goes out to the family
We got to see them get dressed more than looking at the sonar gosh 😜
ðŸ‘ðŸ¼ðŸ‘🼠Beautiful they weren't even out in the water for 15 minutes and they found it we still didn't get much of a treat when it comes to watching the sonar but I'm so happy it's been found yes I know I love enjoying the sonar and I got to see the car WTG Jared and Bob please I don't want to get Bobs name wrong Bob is from Explore the Nug – gun backwards.
Good luck guys.
RIP Thomas, my dad passed away last year the age of 72 from Alzheimer’s, he was also Vietnam veteran. Thank you so much for finding this veteran Mr. Thornton
Such a tragic accident, knowing that he was trying to escape from his vehicle filling up rapidly with water, I couldn't imagine what his last moments would've been like, he must've been so scared. 😔 He's now in a better place, God Bless this family. ðŸ™ðŸ»â¤ï¸
I’m Hoping He Received a Big Salute 🫡 from all those in uniform standing there♥ï¸
I have never realized how many people go missing in their car in water until I started watching your channel I’m hooked!!
To be honest before I saw your channel if I was boating and saw a car, I would report it but I feel like the LE would have just said thanks and blown me off. Not necessarily because they don’t believe but they would think I was mistaken or not have the resources to check. Hopefully not but boaters can’t prove it like you can when you dive.
Thank You AWP for your dedication and hard work!!!God Bless you Doug and Jared you guy are amazing!!.My Son is a Vetran This Really touched our hearts!! So sad!!! 😢 Sending lot's of love ⤠and prayers 🙠R.I.P Thank You for your service 🇺🇲 Semper Fi From A Proud Marine Mom !!🦅🌎⚓🇺🇸
You guys are brilliant fantastic work from the UK I witch all your video's you guys are angel's keep up the fantastic work you do â¤ï¸â¤ï¸
It is such honorable work you do. I am overwhelmed with gratitude along with the families. I live on the St Clair River in Mich. We have these tragedies far too often. Thank you sooo much for your service.
Thomas You will always be my Hero and Never be Forgotten Rest in peace knowing that your Families and Loved ones will always be in my thoughts and prayers so happy Thomas has a proper burial he deserves my Hero forever
Thank you all for everything you have done and continue to do bringing answers and a proper burial not only to our Veterans but our own children and Loved Ones I am forever grateful Rest in Peace my Hero Forever Thank You again and again God bless you and your Families so glad that you are doing this for all of us
Rip Thomas. Thank you for your service ðŸ™. Thank you AWP
With dementia, the person can't solve problems or think logically.
I'm elderly, no dementia yet. I'm interested to know that people with dementia
👌ðŸ¤âœŒðŸ‘
Fantastic work! Thank you guys!â¤ï¸ðŸ™ðŸ»
This one broke my heart. 💔
Thank y'all so very much. ðŸ™ðŸ™ðŸ™ for continued success in bringing lived one's home. Blessings, julie
Window breakers, everyone.
I hate to say it but the police failed big time on this one, way too easy of a find for them to fail on this.
So sad that LE don’t make more of an effort to look! He was sat right there all this time while his family were looking for him and wondering. Shocking and shameful.
You guys are phenomenal!
The young man in blue was overwhelmed thinking of Mr. Thornton trying to get out.
Seatbelts should not lock! They lock and release.
7 people tried to get a young couple out of their car while the car billowed black smoke because they could not get the seatbelts to release and no matter what all of those men were using none of them could break a window, not even a crack and the glass didn't even shatter to chip it away!.
THE RESCUERS screamed hysterically for help to save the couple but no one could get them out of the car.
If you could end each show with the PSA, on how to use that glass breaker inside and out, there would be no way to tell how many lives will be saved.
You guys really are THE BEST!
THANKS TO EACH OF YOU!!
The crowd screamed hysterically trying to get the couple out of the burning car.
Those seatbelts and unbreakable windows were the death traps for the people inside many vehicles.
Is there any way that you can have a law enforcement officer give a PSA and demo how to break the glass not only from the inside but also demo breaking the glass from the outside of the car?
Thanks.
"Sittin right here in the middle of a boat ramp." I can hear your frustration and that is how we all feel watching this. How is this possible time and time again? Why do they not check the boat ramps, especially when the road ends in water. We see it all the time in your videos. So frustrating and heart breaking.
You ARE NOT throwing anything or anyone under the bus.
It seems and has seemed for decades to me that many "investigators" have OVERLOOKED an essential clue because they thought it was simply "IRRELEVANT".
Fresh Eyes come in 10 years later, read the 1st page of the report and solve the mystery!
It's time for those in investigation to put their hats on straight and KNOW the hat they are wearing at all times!
Law Enforcement And Medical Professionals wear THEIR HAT 24/7/365/6
EVERY PERSON, in every job, gets frustrated and annoyed but that never changes 1 vibration of the responsibility THEY CHOSE as their job.
When a person doesn't do their job, they need to be told.
That laxidazical behavior needs to be brought to their attention.
Not paying attention is when serial killers find a killing field because everyone who knows what to notice aren't paying attention!!!
So sad. It's hard to understand why so many with dementia are still driving alone, especially when their families are fully aware they have dementia. Glad he was found. Great job guys.