Local surfer with Alzheimer’s found; had been missing

A well-known local surfer who has Alzheimer’s disease went missing this week, but his family reported Friday evening that he had been found.

Ronald Jay, 62, was last seen at his home in Culver City about 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, where he lives with his wife. She was taking care of a grandchild when a neighbor called to tell her her husband was outside.

By the time she went outside to find him, he was gone, Culver City police say.

A family member told the Times shortly after 5 p.m. Friday that Jay had been found. They provided no further details.

Jay was an original member of the Zephyr surf team, a popular surfing and skateboarding group named after a Santa Monica surf shop in the 1970s.

Lauren Taylor, a friend of Jay’s daughter who helped search for him, said members of the local surfing community knew of Jay and were aware he was missing.

“Every time we go to the beach, everyone already knows about it,” she said.

Surfer magazine posted about the situation on its website, where several members of the surfing community responded.

Jay’s disappearance drew the attention of more than just locals; actor Seth Rogen retweeted his missing persons flier on Twitter.

Family and friends searched the beach, originally believing Jay might have gone there.

“When he talks about surfing, it’s like he doesn’t have Alzheimer’s, so his natural inclination 99% of the time is to go to the beach,” Taylor said.

Jay’s daughter, Tess Jay, said she believed he had ended up in downtown Los Angeles and friends and family searched in the area.

“If he’s not doing stuff with his surfboards or surfing or watching surf or reading a surf magazine, he’s asleep,” she said. “To find out he’s not near the beach was pretty surprising.”

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