Mobile Police searching for Oklahoma City army veteran who went missing from Medal of Honor park over the weekend
By DAESHEN SMITH
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MOBILE, Alabama (WALA) — Sixty-four-year-old Larry Schaum and his family were on their way back from a spring break trip to Destin when they made a quick stop at Medal of Honor Park.
“We just needed to find a nice park for our children to play and run around and kind of stretch their legs while we ate our packed lunches,” said Delaney Soukup.
Schaum’s wife Delaney Soukup says they had been fine all day. She thinks he got upset after she asked him to do something. He said he would, but then threw his phone down and walked off.
“I walked after him and I said don’t you want your phone and he said no I don’t need my phone,” said Soukup. “I said how are you going to get home and he said I’m going to walk home one foot in front of the other.”
Soukup says Schaum is an army veteran who has PTSD after serving ten years of combat in Iraq.
“A lot of veterans with PTSD do get overwhelmed with large crowds. Medal of Honor park was very busy that day,” added Soukup.
She says Schaum has walked away in the past when his PTSD gets triggered. When he didn’t return Saturday, the family searched the park and the surrounding area but had to continue their journey back home. They stopped in Jackson, Mississippi, and hoped he would meet them there.
“When we got to Jackson he never showed up and at that point, I was getting worried but it really didn’t set in until we got back to Oklahoma City that I don’t know what has happened to him,” said Schaum.
Schaum doesn’t have his phone or any transportation but his wife says he may be trying to make his way home.
“He knows the route from Mobile to Oklahoma City fairly well and I think he’s going to try to walk or hitchhike back but I have no way of contacting him,” said Soukup.
Now she’s hoping someone can help him get back home safely.
“I want people to know that he’s not going to harm anyone. Like I said he’s not violent.”
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