Volunteers to find Bobbie Braden

06/03/2022

Phoenix friends and neighbors,

All of us leading the search for Roberta Braden want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts. As horrible as this event has been for the family, the one bright spot of this tragedy has been seeing over 300 of you step up to help find her.

You’ve scoured the desert, you’ve searched by drone and horseback, you’ve canvased neighborhoods to ask neighbors to search their property, you’ve called over 200 hospitals, shelters, police departments, heat relief centers and mental health care facilities trying to find her. No one could ask for more than what you’ve given us, and we will be forever thankful for your heroic effort.

Unfortunately, after a month and a day, we have not been able to find her.

If there were any productive tasks to assign volunteers to at this point, we would do so. But we’ve literally done everything that can be done by civilians. The remainder of the search needs to be conducted by the Phoenix Police department, as tasks like searching abandoned buildings are not safe for the public.

When we made this difficult decision, her son Derek said, “I’m not going to give up hope. I will keep looking until I find her, no matter how long it takes.” All of us feel the same way. This effort isn’t ending, it’s just moving to a new phase.

We want you to be free to go help others the way you’ve helped us. And, as hard as it is to call the public phase of the search off, it’s the correct course of action.

Over 5.8 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s and dementia. One in six will go missing. You’ve helped us, and now it’s time to help them. And along the way, you’ve given all of us an astonishing gift.

Something we’ve heard from local officials repeatedly, is this was the largest search effort they’ve ever seen. In a time where we are so divided, it’s been amazing to see us all come together, and for someone many of you didn’t know.

All of us on the search team would ask you to give us one last gift. If you have questions or comments, please direct them to the page or website, and give Justin and Derek the space they need to heal. The team will be leading the effort as we move into this next phase.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts,

Sincerely,
Justin, Derek and the Find Bobbie Braden Team

05/24/2022

Update on possible sighting this last Sunday, 5/22, near South Desert Foothills and Liberty.

We were able to obtain video footage confirming that it was NOT Bobbie.

While this sighting was not validated, please remain aware that Bobbie could still be in that area, or any adjacent area to where she left from near 32nd Street and Baseline on May 1st.

As a result, it was very important for us to post and share flyers in that area, so thank you very much for your help.

It’s also important that we all continue to keep our eyes open and call in any potential sightings throughout the Phoenix metropolitan area and beyond.

Sign up to volunteer with us, and receive text and email updates at

Click here to volunteer!

05/24/2022

We still need volunteers to find Bobbie! We need people to call hospitals, shelters and other places to help find Derek's mom! Join the largest search effort in Phoenix TODAY!

Thank you so much for helping us find our mom. Simply complete the questions below to help us coordinate our volunteers so that we can act swiftly and effectively. As you know, every minute counts. We will contact you as soon as we can. P.S. Please consider joining our Facebook Group for updates and...

05/23/2022

CONFERENCE CALL for volunteers helping to find Bobbie. Please join us Monday, May 23, at 6pm MT. We look forward to meeting you (or seeing you again perhaps), providing updates, and answering questions.

For instructions about how to call in, please complete this volunteer form to help us coordinate: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfNBk-4opiheaACishD3bRo07Fi2Yf-B8XNqAiUrAOFWjueng/viewform

Until then, you can still help us make phone calls and search for Bobbie according to our search plan, found here: https://www.findrobertabraden.com/search-instructions

We hope to see you soon!

MAIN GOAL Talk to hikers at South Mountain trailheads Hike more areas of South Mountain (EXPERIENCED HIKERS ONLY). Please see instructions below for how to track your trail using the Gaia app. If you have FRS hand held radios, the team will be on channel 8. FLYERING AT TRAILHEADS Choose a

05/22/2022

NEW LOCATION for picking up flyers. We are no longer at the Sheraton. You can now go to YMCA at 1030 E Liberty Ln. Please see bottom of this page for details: https://www.findrobertabraden.com/search-instructions Thanks for all you're doing everyone!

MAIN GOAL Placing flyers in the listed areas while also keeping an eye out for Roberta “Bobbie” Braden (see below for areas to search). FOCUS ON areas to search listed below pawn shops, fitness centers, Fry’s, Food City, Autozone, etc. parks & playgrounds in Tempe & Phoenix AREAS TO SEARCH If

05/22/2022

ALERT: Possible sighting this 5/22 AM to investigate near South Desert Foothills and Liberty - YMCA

Please respond to the area and fan out towards South Central Ave, South Mountain, and South 32nd street. Possible white short sleeve shirt and black shorts.

GAIA link: https://www.gaiagps.com/map/?loc=14.1/-112.0353/33.2959&pubLink=nAo3WLfY8bD4wzRRwjO6UVIT&areaId=7af11cb3d06fae5b7f5038ef963af5d7

Thank you!

Access free topo maps online and use intuitive mapping tools to plan your next adventure. Gaia GPS’s map catalog includes detailed satellite imagery, worldwide trail maps, weather forecasting overlays, and avalanche data overlays.

05/20/2022

Happy Friday!

Our profound thanks goes out to Phoenix Police Department and Sergeant Meil for assisting us in getting the tape of a reported sighting from McDonald's.

Additionally, we are thankful to announce that the Phoenix Police are conducting a grid search of the desert around her last known location. They map out the entire area grid by grid.

We are deeply thankful for everyone that has supported us this week. According to Phoenix Police, this is one of the largest search efforts they've ever seen.

05/16/2022

5/16 Week Search Plan

The turn out of volunteers helping this last weekend was incredible. We were able to cover areas we hadn’t yet, and we were able to finish our entire plan within 24 hours. Because of your help, we are now able to begin posting flyers and looking for Bobbie in more areas. Every single person showing up is making a huge difference.

Please check our new webpage for live updates to learn where we are currently in need of help to search for Bobbie: https://www.findrobertabraden.com/search-instructions

If you would like email or text updates and support from our team to help find Bobbie, please sign up here: https://www.findrobertabraden.com/volunteer

Thank you for all that you are doing.

MAIN GOAL Placing flyers in the listed areas while also keeping an eye out for Roberta “Bobbie” Braden (see below for areas to search). FOCUS ON areas to search listed below pawn shops, fitness centers, Fry’s, Food City, Autozone, etc. parks & playgrounds in Tempe & Phoenix AREAS TO SEARCH If

05/16/2022

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Headline: Community Search for Bobbie Braden Continues
Subhead: Phoenix Volunteers Continue to Scour Area by Foot, with Drones and on Horseback

Over 90 people participated in search teams over the weekend in a desperate search to find Roberta “Bobbie” Braden. Braden, who has dementia, went missing on May 1st. Some people have scoured remote areas using drones, and even on horseback.

“I’ll be forever touched by how many people have come out to support my mom,” said Top Gear producer Derek Powell. “I keep hearing from people how conditions like Alzheimer’s have affected their lives.”

“I’m used to organizing people for political campaigns,” said volunteer coordinator Alison Hartson, a veteran field organizer. “I’d never considered that those skills could be helpful in a search and rescue operation.”

The search over the weekend also focused around West Broadway Road. The organizing team to find Braden, Internally calling themselves “Type A,” for their mission-oriented culture, released a video showing how easy it is to get involved.

“Anyone looking to join the search can go to findrobertabraden.com,” said volunteer Brianna Wu. “We can’t do it without you.”

Wu added that no matter the outcome of the search, the team plans to release materials on how to find people with Alzheimer’s so other searches can be done.

“I didn’t realize that out of 6 million people in the US with Alzheimer’s, 15 percent of them go missing. We’ve learned so much about how to organize people to do searches, and we want to make sure other people can be found.”

05/16/2022

THANK YOU to all 90 people in search teams from this weekend! Some were on foot, some by car, some by horseback!

How easy is it for you to join the search? Listen to some of our AMAZING volunteers! Join the Phoenix community and help here!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfNBk-4opiheaACishD3bRo07Fi2Yf-B8XNqAiUrAOFWjueng/viewform

05/15/2022

Weekend Search Plan 5/14 - 5/15

Hello and thank you to everyone helping us find Roberta “Bobbie” Braden. Please see below for how you can help this weekend.

We’ve also sent an email with even more details (please check your spam folder). If you haven’t had a chance to sign up for emails / texts, please do so here: https://www.findrobertabraden.com/volunteer

This weekend we’re focusing back towards where Bobbie first went missing to ensure we have raised awareness in that area as much as possible. To that end, we're focusing on multiple types of search areas: shopping centers, parks, and other high traffic areas.

WEEKEND SEARCH AREAS: https://www.findrobertabraden.com/search-instructions

MAIN GOAL: Placing flyers in the listed areas while also keeping an eye out for Roberta “Bobbie” Braden.

FOCUS ON:
- areas to search in link above
- pawn shops, fitness centers, Fry’s, Food City, Autozone, etc.
public entrances to other high traffic areas in parks
- two major shopping spots near South Mountain Community -College and Legacy Village.
- several parks along East Southern Avenue (and more)

PLEASE TRACK YOUR SEARCH ROUTE:
If you are unable to use our tracking system, that’s okay! We still need you. Simply write down the area you covered and send it to us either by email or text, or come directly to the Basecamp Headquarters (contact info below).

- Ideally, please use the GAIA GPS application on your phone: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1QlPbNHqNULLw7iq0Hv7Zu8eSIYx1mTG7/view?usp=drive_web

- You will see the areas highlighted in the application as "5-14-22 PM search." This is essentially an area from West Dobbins & Central to 32nd & Southern.

- Remember to start recording when you enter the area, and to stop recording when you leave. This helps us monitor the coverage you have provided, minimize overlap, and understand how much work remains.

Basecamp Headquarters:
Four Points Sheraton, 10831 S 51st St, Phoenix, AZ 85044
- Stop by Monday through Sunday, 6:30am-8:30pm, for flyers or if you need assistance

Questions:
(623) 850-3890
[email protected]

Click here to volunteer!

05/14/2022

Good morning to all of you fantastic people,

We have secured electronic billboards around I-10 in the area, and we are still following up on leads throughout.
Building on our outreach to the unhoused, and the recent search areas we have covered, we are aiming BIG for this morning, heading slightly east along I-60. We are adding to the work of our amazing evening volunteers last night.

*Please see below for instructions on how you can help.*

If you plan to help, we'd love to hear from you, or see you at the command center (Four Points Sheraton on S 51st St). If you have any questions, please reply to this post.

- If you can help search on foot, bike, or by vehicle
Please ensure you have the GAIA GPS application on your phone and follow the instructions on our website: https://www.findrobertabraden.com/volunteer. You will see the area highlighted in the application as "5-13-22 PM search". This is essentially an area from Pigeon Coop in Tempe to Fiesta Park Village in Mesa.

- Remember to start recording when you enter the area, and to stop recording when you leave. This helps us monitor the coverage you have provided, minimize overlap, and understand how much work is left to do.

- If you can help to hang and distribute flyers, we are continuing our targeting of high traffic areas including in store windows & doors, in restaurants, and other similar high traffic locations.

If you're not sure what to say, you can share that you're a volunteer with the search for Bobbie: "She's eighty (80) years old with Alzheimer’s, and has been missing since May 1, we believe she is in the area. We would greatly appreciate your support in posting flyers and raising awareness, until we find Bobbie."

- If you need flyers, please come by the command center at the Four Points Sheraton on S 51st St. You can also download them from the website (https://www.findrobertabraden.com).

THANK YOU!

Derek & Justin

Download the latest flyer as a PDF or JPG to print and share.