A Scots mum who presumed her son was lifeless after he went lacking over 10 years in the past has hailed a 'miracle' after discovering he's alive and properly.
Joyce Curtis thought that her son Nicholas had handed away as she hadn't seen or heard from him since 2010. The very last thing she knew was that he was hitchhiking round France and Spain, however because of the pandemic, she thought Nicholas had died and even 'grieved for him.'
However she obtained a cellphone name on December 19 informing her that her son was alive and in hospital within the South of France. Joyce mentioned: "I am unable to consider it. I believed with Covid and every part that has gone on, I believed he was lifeless. I grieved for him. Once I obtained the decision to say he was alive I simply went into shock. All I did was cry all day.
"This has simply made Christmas for me, particularly since my husband died again in June. It is like that movie 'Miracle on thirty fourth Road'. It is like a miracle.
"I might resigned myself to the truth that he had died. I actually thought that and I feel everyone thought the identical."
Nicholas left his residence in Glasgow within the mid 2000s to journey Europe after shedding his job as a joiner. He advised his mum he had been hitchhiking and Joyce believes he spent a while residing tough on the streets of Paris.
She determined to report him as lacking in 2009 as he hadn't heard from her son 'for ages.' A yr later, Joyce was contacted by the British Consulate in Paris to inform her that Nicholas had been admitted to hospital in France. She then flew to go to him together with her husband - however that may be the final time she would see or hear from him in over a decade.
Joyce mentioned: "I obtained a letter in 2010 to say that Nicholas was in hospital in France. He'd been lacking for some time by then.
"I might already reported him lacking right here in Glasgow the earlier yr after not listening to from him in ages and ages. Me and my husband went over to go to him and it was that good to see him.
"We had been getting him residence, however for some motive, I do not know why, he simply disappeared once more. They had been sending him residence and I used to be advised he was getting placed on a flight.
"I used to be anticipating him residence at Glasgow at a sure time. I labored on the Southern Common Hospital on the time and I used to be ready on him coming residence however there was no signal.
"Once I was over visiting him in France I purchased him some sneakers and stuff like that so he might have garments to journey residence with. I used to be ready in work. However he by no means obtained residence.
"I keep in mind it was pouring of rain that day. I phoned each airport to see if he'd gotten on a flight however nothing. We by no means heard something once more. That was the final I heard from him till Monday."
Joyce obtained the shock information that he was alive when the British Consulate contacted her to alert her that he had been admitted to a French hospital for a second time.
"I spoke to him on the cellphone. He seems wholesome. I requested him, 'Are you coming residence Nikky?' And he mentioned, 'Aye'.
"I am unable to think about what he is been by way of. I simply must get him residence."
Nicholas is now planning to return residence, however Joyce is eager to journey over to France to see him.
She mentioned: "I am not constructing my hopes up but till I get him residence. Hopefully although I would even recover from to France with my daughter earlier than then so I can see him."
The International, Commonwealth & Growth Workplace spokesperson mentioned: "We're supporting a British man in France and are offering help to his household. We're involved with the native authorities."
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