For 25 long years, a California woman named Marcella held little hope that her younger brother was still alive. Yet, she never ceased her search.

In May, everything changed when a friend shared an article from YSL News. The piece aimed to identify a non-verbal patient at a hospital in Los Angeles County. Upon reading it, Marcella, who prefers to use only her first name, was stunned to see a photo of what looked like her long-lost brother, Tommy.

Despite the significant changes in his appearance, a dedicated officer and a fingerprint test confirmed it was indeed Tommy, two and a half decades after his disappearance.

“We all thought he was dead; that was the belief, especially given his diabetes. How could he survive without help?” Marcella shared in an exclusive interview with YSL News on Monday. “I’m still in disbelief.”

At 59, Marcella is eagerly anticipating the reunion, but she needs to travel from her Northern California home to the Los Angeles area first.

Tommy Was Last Heard From in 1999 in Idaho

Tommy disappeared on July 31, 1999, after calling Marcella from a payphone at a truck stop in Twin Falls, Idaho. Authorities later informed her that his van was seen at Yellowstone National Park, but it was never located again.

Fearing the worst—that someone might have harmed him and taken his van—Marcella dedicated years to searching reports of unidentified deceased individuals and contacting officials about undiscovered bodies. She tirelessly checked for unidentified patients in various states, including Washington, Idaho, Northern California, and northern Nevada. Additionally, she sought help from non-profit organizations like the Nor-Cal Alliance For The Missing.

“I never expected he’d be alive in LA,” Marcella reflected. “How could that even be possible? He hadn’t used his medical card, and no one had discovered his vehicle.”

Over the years, despair overcame her, leading to annoyance whenever someone would suggest Tommy might still be alive.

“It frustrated me because I despised when people said, ‘He could be alive.’ It angered me,” she admitted, revealing that she had nearly lost hope.

From a Facebook Post to a Confirming Fingerprint Test

Initially unsure if the man in the YSL News article was her brother due to an incorrect eye color description by nurses, Marcella decided to share the photo on Facebook alongside one of Tommy. The post quickly garnered numerous comments encouraging her to, as one user put it, “burn this lead to the ground.”

In November, she reached out to the hospital and confirmed that the unidentified patient was indeed an insulin-dependent diabetic, which matched Tommy’s condition. She promptly contacted the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office and was quickly assisted by Sheriff’s Deputy Derek Kennemore.

Deputy Kennemore showed remarkable dedication to helping Marcella determine the patient’s identity, for which she is deeply appreciative. He verified with hospital staff that the patient resembled her brother. When Marcella attempted to FaceTime him, her efforts were hindered by poor reception, but she eventually shared photos of her daughter and Tommy’s late father with the hospital staff. They noted the patient had a strong reaction, muttering “Oh my god.”

A subsequent fingerprint test confirmed it was indeed Tommy, bringing Marcella joy at being wrong about her fears. She expressed immeasurable gratitude to Deputy Kennemore for his dedication and to YSL News for publishing the article.

“I told him, ‘You’re my hero,’” she said, chuckling at how it sounded. “It genuinely felt like a Disney moment, but he truly made a difference.” After sharing the news with her stepdad, he simply said, “I’ll be darned.” Her daughter, who has never met Tommy, exclaimed, “You did it, Mom! Oh my God, you found him!” while her other daughter expressed pride in her perseverance.

Reflecting on her quest, Marcella admitted, “I just shut down” during the long search.

“I hate to say it, but this is often the reality for many missing persons,” she shared. “It’s not personal; it’s just a lack of coverage. It’s lucky that article got posted because they merely needed to call in detectives for a quick fingerprint scan.”

‘I’ve Always Been His Protector’

After 25 years, all it took for confirmation of Tommy’s survival was a simple fingerprint test conducted by the Los Angeles Police Department. Marcella emphasized her desire for hospitals to adopt fingerprint testing as standard protocol for unidentified patients.

“I’ve continuously made efforts,” she shared. “It’s astounding. Discovering a John Doe who turned out to be him, deceased, is already remarkable, but to find him alive after 25 years? That’s just unbelievable.”

Marcella mentioned that her family has faced multiple hardships throughout the years, which makes the reunion with Tommy particularly heartwarming. In 1984, her father tragically lost his life in a motorcycle accident while heading to work. Her sister Sherrie was killed in a car crash in 1990, and in 2021, her mother succumbed to heatstroke during the severe Dixie Fire. Now, she feels thankful to be able to gaze into her brother’s eyes and converse with him.

“When I look into those eyes, I sense the protective instincts of an older sister,” she explained. “I’ve always felt a duty to look out for him.”