I have never heard my husband sound so scared as he did when he said “honey, Brantley got away, the authorities are on their way”. The sound of terror in Joel’s voice is forever engraved in my mind.
If you are one of the many individuals who only knows of Elopement as running off to get married, consider yourselves blessed. Elopement is also a term used in the special needs community when those with limited communication and cognitive abilities wander or run away from a caregiver or secure location.
Elopement is especially harmful because these individuals generally have no awareness or concern for safety. Brantley included.
Thankfully, Brantley was found safe. But my worries that he will elope are constant. My only comfort is Project Lifesaver.
Project Lifesaver is the small device around Brantley’s ankle. We often get asked about it, probably because It looks similar to a baby house arrest bracelet. While it was in fact put on him by a sheriff deputy, it is not a house arrest bracelet but rather my reassurance that we can locate Brantley in the event of elopement.
Each Project Lifesaver device has its own radio frequency signal. In the event that Brantley successfully wanders off, we call 911 and report that Brantley wears a Project Lifesaver device. The first responders, who come incredibly fast, use Brantley’s radio frequency signal to locate him.
We pray everyday that we don’t need to use his Project Lifesaver, but I am glad we have it in the event we need it.
If you would like more information on Project Lifesaver, visit https://projectlifesaver.org.
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