NORFOLK, Va. — The mother of a former Norfolk State University student who had been missing for two weeks posted on Facebook Sunday afternoon that 18-year-old Keith Anderson had been found and is safe.
Mesha Anderson told us he was found in a homeless shelter in Texas. Someone saw the story on the news and told him.
“He was staying in a shelter in Texas. Someone saw the news story and he said they told him to come here that we were on the news," Anderson said. “He said they told him to come here, that he was on the news and his mother was on the news looking for him, and from there, she let him use her cell phone to get in contact with me.”
Mesha called it a tearful phone call, which was followed by an emotional reunion in North Carolina, hours later. Mesha said Keith flew to Charlotte from Houston, and she drove down from Norfolk to meet him.
Saturday morning, volunteers launched a search for Anderson. 13News Now reported Keith's family, friends, and a large group of volunteers banded together to hand out fliers and search for the missing former Norfolk State Student.
The co-founders of the nonprofit group Hear Their Voices organized the search for Keith Saturday morning. Amber Davis and Kay Coleman said today, they’re glad this missing person story has a happy ending.
“She was so excited. She called us before she called anyone else because she heard that it was from the news report of the search that they found him," Coleman said. “It feels awesome. We’ve been through three that didn’t end in a happy ending – just in January – so to have this one end and he makes it home is just amazing.”
Davis added: “It’s a blessing. We’re absolutely elated that due to the newscast, we were able to help get him home... When something like this happens it makes waking up a little easier. It allows us to take a breath and say a prayer and start on the next case.”
Norfolk Police previously said Anderson had last been seen at NSU on January 29. In its alert, State Police said the college freshman was spotted shortly before 3 p.m. on Saturday, February 4, at the 7-Eleven on Monticello Avenue in Norfolk.
On February 14, NSU clarified that Anderson had been enrolled for fall 2022 but was not currently enrolled as a spring 2023 student.
His family said that it isn't like him to disappear, and detectives said that they were worried for his safety.