Missing Special Olympian Mysteriously Turns Up Safe In The Bay Area

A Special Olympics athlete who disappeared over the weekend has turned up—hundreds of miles away in the Bay Area.Andi Gusmari, a 44-year old bowler representing Albania in the games, was last seen in Los Angeles around 8:30 p.m., Saturday night. Around 2 a.m., Monday morning, he walked into a police station in Hayward, in the east San Francisco Bay Area, about 360 miles from L.A. "Somehow we were able to communicate with him," Lieutenant Guy Jakob of the Hayward Police Department told City News Service. "We figured out who he was."

"We don't know how he got there," Jeff Carr, COO of the Special Olympics, told NBC4. "That's a question that everyone has."

Gusmari was reported to be in good health, if a little hungry and confused. According to ABC 7, he had his passport and birth certificate on him, which helped police identify him right away. He does not speak English.

Arrangements are now being made for Gusmari to be accompanied on a trip back to L.A. for his eventual return to Albania.

Gusmari was separated from his teammates at a festival on the USC campus when he went to use the restroom on Saturday evening, but he was not reported missing until later that night at bed check. The LAPD considered his disappearance "critical."

The Special Olympics held their closing ceremonies on Sunday.