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False Report Dashes Hopes Of Missing Man's Family

Posted: 8:17 am PDT August 28, 2008Updated: 9:52 am PDT August 28, 2008

Community Transit officials apologized Wednesday for mistakenly reporting that a missing 79-year-old Shoreline man was found. In fact, a bus driver found a 73-year-old man missing from Marysville.

The news raised -- and then dashed -- hopes for the family of Hilmer Jager, who left his home on Friday for Snohomish and hasn't been seen since.

"Now to have something like this happen where the news is going out that says he has been found, we're, our first fear is that people are going to stop looking," said Heidi Alberda, Jager's daughter.

"For (the 73-year-old man from Marysville) and his family, we're very happy. Unfortunately, we raised the hopes of another family and we certainly want to apologize for that," said Martin Munguia, a Community Transit spokesman.

Jager's family told KIRO 7 Eyewitness News they are renewing their efforts to find him.

Jager suffers from dementia and congestive heart failure, and he uses a walker to get around. He has credit cards but has not used them since he left home Friday morning.

"He is still out there. He still needs our help. And I fear he's in a situation where he can't help himself right now or he would," Alberda said.

His car is an older-model white Buick Century with Washington license No. 72399DP.

Police ask anyone who sees Jager or his vehicle to call the King County Sheriff's Department.

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