On February 19, 2024, a kind and loving man of 63 years who suffered from severe epilepsy went missing from his care home. Tragically, he was found deceased in a small ravine nine days later. This man was my uncle. I firmly believe that if the Mattie's Call alert system had been distributed in the same manner as an Amber Alert, it could have potentially saved his life.

Mattie's Call is Georgia's emergency missing alert for disabled or elderly persons. However, unlike Amber Alerts which are disseminated via wireless device SMS text messages, electronic traffic condition signs and public radio stations among others; Mattie’s Calls are not as widely distributed.

The current system limits the reach of these critical alerts to only those who have signed up for them or happen to be tuned into specific channels at specific times. This significantly reduces the number of eyes and ears available to assist in locating missing individuals quickly.

By modifying this system to align with how Amber Alerts are disseminated - reaching a broader audience through various platforms - we increase our chances of finding these vulnerable individuals before it is too late.

In Georgia alone, there were over 1 million people aged 65 and older in 2019 (source: U.S Census Bureau), many of whom could potentially benefit from this change. It is time we take action to improve the distribution method for Mattie’s Calls so that no more lives are lost unnecessarily due to limited awareness.

Please sign this petition today and help us bring about this much-needed change!