Freedom Village Resident Suffering from Dementia Found Out of Unit

HOLLAND, MI (WHTC) – A 78-year-old Holland man suffering from dementia has been found safely. Family members say that Emery Blanksma had slipped out of the unit that he and his wife lived at in the Freedom Village complex off of Columbia Avenue when she stepped out around 2 PM this afternoon. It was discovered that Blanksma, who is not supposed to be driving, found the keys to the couple’s vehicle, a 2011 black Subaru Outback with Michigan plate ATB 554 and drove off in an unknown direction. Around 8 PM, an employee of Van Hill Furniture between Holland and Zeeland spotted a confused Blanksma wandering in the store’s parking lot and called Freedom Village. Family members picked him up and returned him to his residence. There was no word of any injuries suffered by him while he was away.