Imagine being lost for over 13 years, with your family having presumed you dead and even conducted your funeral rites. This is the remarkable story of Phuntsho Wangdi, a man lost not once but twice, who has finally found his way back home.
After 13 long years filled with uncertainty and grief, Phuntsho’s family finally received the news they had almost given up on: Phuntsho was alive.
The reunion took place on the 13th of May at the Samtse border checkpost, the very place Phuntsho was reunited with his brother once before.
In October 2010, Phuntsho Wangdi, then 26-year-old, vanished without a trace. His disappearance marked the second time he had gone missing, the first being a year earlier.
His family’s hope dwindled as years passed with no word of his whereabouts.
His brother said Phuntsho was struggling with mental health issues before his disappearance.
Phuntsho’s path to reunion was fraught with hardship. Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, Phuntsho was picked up from the streets from the south India city of Chennai by social workers from the Shraddha Rehabilitation Foundation.
The foundation took him in, providing the care and medication he desperately needed.
His brother was told by the foundation that with time, Phuntsho’s mental health improved, and he began to regain his memories.
“I am seeing my brother after 13 years. I thought I would never see him again. I am so happy to see him safe and sound. I genuinely want to thank the Shraddha Rehabilitation Foundation for looking after my brother and making him a better person,” said Tshering Wangdi, Phuntsho’s elder brother.
Phuntsho himself shares his bittersweet experience.
“I used to miss my family a lot. I even called them on the phone several times, but I couldn’t meet them. After a very long time, I was finally able to meet my father and come home. I am very happy that I could meet my father after such a long period. I always said that I wanted to go home. Finally, I was discharged after receiving all the treatments.”
It is not certain what Phuntsho was doing before being pick up by the foundation.
Now back with his family, Phuntsho continues to take the necessary medication to maintain his mental health.
His family plans to consult with psychiatrists in the country to ensure his ongoing recovery.
This extraordinary story of loss and reunion underscores the enduring power of hope and the remarkable impact of compassionate care.
Phub Dorji
Edited by Sherub Dorji
