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Missing Pensacola Man Found Dead
May 8, 2017
UPDATED: The body of an elderly man who left his home to get a prescription filled on Friday has been found.
Joseph John Sodomka, 84, who lived near Scenic Heights Elementary School, was found around 2:45 p.m. Sunday in a clay pit area in the 1900 block of Blossom Trail, Pensacola.
Sodomka was last seen by his wife around 9:30 a.m. Friday when he left home to take a prescription to the Navy Hospital to be filled. He was told the prescription would be ready by 4 p.m., but he did not return to get it. Sodomka was on numerous medications and had memory problems.
It is believed he became disoriented and was unable to find his way home. Foul play is not suspected at this time.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office is handling the investigation into his death.
Comments
22 Responses to “Missing Pensacola Man Found Dead”
First and foremost…condolences, prayers and hugs to Mr. Sodomka’s family and thank you Sir for your service!
Some times people do not realize how hard it is to take care of an elderly person with health issues so while pointing a finger at someone else and judging them you have fingers pointing back at you.js!!!
@ Jennifer
You must have never had to fill a prescription as no pharmacy I have ever visited would do a prescription in 15 minutes. Wal Mart you may have a several hour wait. As for Naval Hospital Pharmacy they do an outstanding job in filling prescriptions. They are one of the busiest in the Navy. They do hundreds a day so stop tryingto blame them period.
I don’t understand where the “on foot” issue came about. Many of the articles and the Silver Alert described the car as a white 2005 Toyota Matrix with Florida tag… I am so sorry it ended this way. I have in laws in another state that are not safe to drive, both in their mid 80s but both refuse to give up their vehicles “just in case” they need them. Thoughts and prayers to Mr. Sodomka’s family and friends. May he rest in peace.
Maybe he felt as though he had no other option than to drive himself. People assume that he had children with which he maintained contact or other family to assist, when that might not be the case. Sadly, there are many elderly people who are basically on their own, either by choice or simply not being aware of services available to them.
If you have a family member with memory problems, Alzheimer’s, dementia, please get them a GPS. Then, when something like this happens, at least you stand a better chance of finding them safely. I had a family member with Alzheimer’s that would wonder off. It does happen folks, even when you think your paying attention. Then, all the sudden, their gone. GPS not only is the best thing for the patient but the family’s peace of mind.
@David, you sir took the thoughts right out of my head and put them on paper. I am so sorry to this family. First, I do not wonder why this man was stil driving. My grandfather had a similar incident before the severity of his memory issues became apparent. Thankfully I happened to be in the right place at the right time and ran into him looking for his car. So if the family is reading this, please know there are some people who “get it”, please do not blame yourself. I am with this other great vet on the question of why it takes 6 hours to fill a prescription at the Naval Hospital??? I was a pharmacy technician and if I had ever told someone it would take 6 hours, they would have told me I was crazy! At 15 minutes people start getting restless, an hour was unthinkable! I sure hope in the future that our vets will not only be allowed to seek out doctors outside the VA, but also pharmacies. Our service men and women deserve better, and if they ask me by form of vote, you will have it better! I thank you for your service.
Out of curiosity was ESAR placed on standby or even alerted to the situation
Its very sad that the family knew of his memory loss and did not at least accompany him to the Navy Hospital. Sending prayers for strength and comfort for the family!
Frank P and Mike. He was driving a car when he went missing. Instead of creating drama during a time when a family loses a love one. How about googling and researching facts of an incident. Trying to make something that it’s not only causes more pain for family members affected by such a tragedy
This writer won’t touch the political comments other than to say that if things were done differently, the fellow may still be with us.
To the family, I’m sorry for your loss and I pray for peace for you. His service is part of the reason this nation is still free.
God Bless
Something just don’t add up here. At 42 y/o I am not walking 20+ miles in Pensacola sun never mind at 84. Suppose he was driving, why in the hell would he be driving with memory problems? Something’s not right
From where he lives to navy hospital is a long long way. He had to have been driving. Then got disoriented and lost. I’ve worked some calls where a person, for a variety of reasons, becomes disoriented , confused and altered. They get lost and don’t even know it or know what’s going on. I knew this man years ago. He still lived in the same house. God bless him.
I take personal issue with vets blaming everything on the Naval Hospital. Maybe if the Dr’s weren’t under pressure to hand out prescriptions like candy, the elderly wouldn’t be so confused. In the first article the wife said he gets confused. If so, why did he drive himself to the pharmacy? This story is full of the blame game. Life isn’t about Dr visits. My son has received every benefit he was promised and works for the VA too.
@ David
First prayers to the family. David seems like you are blaming the Naval Hospital for this individuals death because his medication wasn’t ready for pick up when he arrived. Thought he took a prescription to have filled if that is correct he could have waited for it to get filled. 84 year old man who has memory problems should not have been allowed to drive to the pharmacy. This is a tragedy and shouldn’t have happened. I’m sure the family is now second guessing them selves for allowing him to drive. It’s hard to tell your daddy he can’t drive any more. Prayers for the whole family and may God keep his hands on them.
QUESTION: Was he on foot
Prayers for the family and let me add…as a veteran myself of 78 years of age , its a damn shame a man serves his country and dies in a clat pit. But when we all enlisted we were promised a lot of benefits that never come to bear.
So in short… this is your navy base that we all go to to be all told…come back hors later. Had his meds…perhaps jusr perhaps my brother in arms would still be alive.
Good old vets being taken down the road on a wagon ride again.
In America my great country of all places
Prayers for the family.
Tragedies like this make me wonder if the decision to do away with the helicopter unit at the ECSO was a mistake. I think the hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on the many, many billboards that remind you to lock your vehicle and not to leave your Christmas shopping visible in your vehicle would be better spent on assets that have proven to save lives.
Im very sorry to hear this. My condolences to this family…
God Bless him and his family…
Okay, that is around 18 or 19 miles round trip for the addresses listed. Was he on foot, & if so, why?
On meds & memory problems, I can’t see him walking that distance. It’s a free country, I guess, but it makes me wonder how this was allowed to happen.