Alzheimer’s Victim Home for Christmas

Four months after wandering away from his sister’s Tustin home, Louis (Chico) Rosa, who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease, was reunited with his family on Christmas night after a transient in Santa Monica recognized his picture on a flyer and took him to a police station.

Rosa, 60, apparently had been living as a transient in Santa Monica, Tustin Police Lt. Houston Williams said.

“As far as we know, he’s back with his family, and he had a nice Christmas,” Williams said. “I don’t know if he knows he had a nice Christmas, but his family did.”

Santa Monica police called Tustin police, who notified the family about 8 p.m. Thursday, Williams said.

Spotted Several Times

Since he disappeared Aug. 18, the former Hawaiian prizefighter had been spotted several times by people who had seen his picture on flyers, in newspapers or on television newscasts, Williams said. But they usually made the connection to the missing person with the “noticeable dimples,” the medical alert tag and the Social Security number tattooed beneath his left arm too late to notify authorities.

Because of his condition, Rosa did not know his address or even that he was lost, police said. Rosa, who answers to his boxing nickname, Chico, lives with his sister, who takes care of him.

A family member Friday declined to comment. A friend said Rosa appeared to be all right and that the family had taken him to the hospital for a checkup.

Rosa turned 60 on Dec. 5. “He celebrated his birthday away from home, and he probably didn’t even know it,” Williams said.