Nancy the Animal Lover

Nancy’s love of animals was probably predestined by the fact that we called her “Mouse” from the moment she was born.  Our house was something of a mini-zoo when Nancy was growing up.  While she may not have had siblings, she certainly didn’t want for company.  In addition to our own cats, there was always an array of birds, mice, rabbits, neighborhood strays and any injured critters who might have wandered into our yard.  Cats were by far and away her favorites and she always had a special way with them.  When she was born, we had a cat named “Beasty” who bore the name with particular distinction.  He was sometimes referred to by veterinarians as “that nasty cat” but she would let Nancy do anything to her, including building cages out of tinker toys around her.

As an adult, Nancy had a cat named Squeaker, also aptly named.  Squeaker was her best friend and confidante for many years.  When Kirk came into the picture—allergies and all--there was never a question about who would have to adjust.  In addition to her own animals, Nancy is a champion of a variety of animal causes, particularly Best Friends in Kanab, Utah and Exotic Feline Rescue in Rosamond.

Even though her Alzheimer’s disease had significantly impaired her ability to function with the full spectrum of her considerable abilities, her love of animals remains strong.  Whether it is the ducks and geese in her beloved Polliwog Park, the rabbits that populate the gardens of her neighborhood or “Smudge,” the rescue cat who lives down the block, we are all joined together in wanting her back with us.  We continue to be deeply indebted to the many, many people, both known and unknown to us, who are playing such a critical role in our ongoing search.

George and Joan Paulikas, Nancy’s Parents

Status and Plans for Halloween week

A H UGE thank-you for everyone’s help!   We had about 45 people on Saturday and another 30 people on Sunday to support canvassing activities.  Over these last two weekends, we have canvassed over 30 square miles, including areas south of LACMA (down to the 10 freeway), east of LACMA (to Van Ness), Hollywood (up to Hollywood Blvd), Venice / Santa Monica, Kenneth Hahn Park, Griffith Park, and Will Rogers State Historic Park.  This is a huge amount of acreage! 

We are standing-down our broad canvassing activities for now and will re-engage this team of wonderful volunteers when we determine another geographic area to investigate.  

We definitely need a large team of “Tip Trackers” in different geographic areas.  If you’re available, please send your name, cell number, and where you’re located to NancyIsMissing@gmail.com.

Please continue to pass the flyers to your friends and community contacts.  We are hoping that we’ll soon get key information that will help us find Nancy…

Speech at the “Walk to End Alzheimer’s” event on 10/29/16 delivered by Bill Courtney:

Hi.  My name is Bill Courtney and I’m the acting captain of Team Drasa.  Team Drasa is a large and well-organized crew.  We are the third-highest fund-raising team at this walk.

Yet, only two of our team are here this year.  Why?

Because the rest of our team is searching for our muse and inspiration, Nancy Paulikas, our Alzheimer’s patient, who wandered off two Saturdays ago from the LA County Museum of Art in mid-Wilshire and has not been seen since.

You may have seen the flyers about Nancy at the registration tables or elsewhere.  If you do not have a paper flyer, please take a photo of one and capture Nancy’s picture and the Team’s contact info.  The picture is a very good likeness of Nancy.

Our search is using every method we know of:

•         We are coordinating with police and fire departments
•         Hospitals and shelters are called daily to check for Jane Does
•         Flyers have been posted in a widening circle out from the LA County Museum of Art
•         Business surveillance videos are being reviewed
•         Businesses have alerted their employees and security staffs to be on the lookout
•         Every Uber driver in LA County as her picture and info
•         FedEx and UPS have been given flyers
•         Professional search experts have been hired
•         TV Interviews and Newspaper Ads

Still, we have no useful leads.

I am asking you to keep your eyes peeled for Nancy, especially if you are in the Downtown-Mid-Wilshire – Santa Monica corridor.

But, I am speaking to you today, not just on Nancy’s behalf.  At present, we can expect that approximately 60% of all Alzheimer’s patients will wander.  If you are a caregiver or in a support circle, it can happen to you.

You can go to the “wandering” page of the Alzheimer’s Association website.  There, you can learn what to do – and what not to do – to prevent wandering.  You can learn ahead of time how to maximize the chances of a safe return of a wanderer.

Thanks for listening, and thank you for being here today in this great effort to aid the stricken and hasten us into a future free of Alzheimer’s.

Nancy the Person, from Co-workers

When you talk with Nancy’s co-workers, you are struck by three things:  1) she was one of the smartest people any of them had ever known; 2) she had a fabulous sense of humor; and 3) she was genuinely nice.  A graduate of the first class of computer scientists to graduate from the University of California-Davis, Nancy went on to get a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from UCLA.

While at UCLA she spent a summer internship at TRW in Redondo Beach and was snapped up as a full-time employee immediately upon graduation.  Ed Mashman, who was a TRW project lead, says that working with Nancy was a pure joy.  “She was one of those people who you just pointed in the right direction and she made magic.  I didn’t have to do a thing.”

When after a ten year stint Nancy left TRW to be a software developer at ITG, a institutional brokerage company, a number of her TRW colleagues soon followed.  She quickly rose through the ranks at ITG to become the head of Software Development, helping the company to develop new products that helped to revolutionize the industry and resulted in taking the company public.  Dan Zamsky, an ITG colleague who worked closely with Nancy says “she was one of the hardest workers in a group of dedicated hard working employees.  No matter how early I went in, she was always there before me.”

Possibly one of the greatest tributes to the mark that Nancy made with her co-workers can be found not just in the measures of business success she achieved, but more importantly in the large number of former colleagues who have mobilized to find her.  Engineers and developers are used to solving big complicated problems and, like Nancy, they don’t intend to stop until they succeed.

Sightings 10/29

1. On 10/29, a man called the tip line to report that he had seen a woman in a red print top in the Vons Parking Lot located at Pico and Fairfax.  He believes this happened around 6:00 pm.  He noticed her because he at first thought she was a homeless person, but on second thought decided there was some aspect of her that made him think that may not be the case.  She was holding on to a shopping cart in a way that made him think she might be using it as a means of support.  We will investigate with Vons further, but if you are up in that area, please keep your eyes open.
2. A woman called and reported that she saw another woman in the 99 Cents Store located at 229 E. Foothill Blvd. in Upland.  She noticed the woman for three reasons: 1. That she had gray “grow out” in her otherwise light brown hair (theh caler is a hairdreser), 2. That she had a very happy smile on her face; and 3. The woman had no cart, basket or items in her hand and was not apparently shopping.   The caller’s receipt has a time stamp of 9:14 pm.  Again, we will work with 99 Cents Stores to see if they can help us with this, but anyone in the Upland area following this, please keep your eyes open.

We got another story on KTLA Channel 5 this eve! Focus was using Pokemon Go players to find Nancy...

We did interviews this evening for the 6PM news spot by KTLA 5.   We've had a tip already based on this story, and several people saying that they saw the story.

The link for the story is at:  News broadcast on using Pokemon Go to find Nancy: KTLA Live LA Channel 5

Or here: http://ktla.com/2016/10/29/team-searching-for-missing-manhattan-beach-woman-leverages-pokemon-go-to-encourage-people-to-look-for-her/

The idea of using Pokemon GO apparently was suggested early, but the emphasis from our urban search and rescue expert, Kimberly Kelly (and mother to two teenagers...) led to us contacting media outlets.  We hope this story is picked up and spread more broadly.

Thanks to Chris and Mark from KTLA and to Kimberly Kelly!  And to Mary Beth McDade for her original story and supporting this story to KTLA 5!

Let's find Nancy tomorrow!

Plans for Sunday, October 30th

Thanks to everyone for your support!  We have over 40 people canvassing various areas today.  They covered areas south and east of LACMA, as well as Hollywood, West Hollywood and Griffith Park.  We had a representative of “Team Drasa” speak at the Alzheimer’s Walk today in Long Beach to explain why our team was missing the walk.

• For Sunday, October 30^th, we will be walking/biking the streets of Venice and some areas south/east of LACMA.  If you are willing to join our canvassing team, please send an email to NancyIsMissing@gmail.com with your name, cell #, and availability times. 
• A small team will be available for chasing down tips.
• There will be teams hiking in Will Rogers State Historic Park on Saturday.  If you’re interested, meet at the picnic tables above the Polo Field.  There is a $12 parking fee.

 
 

A few “out of the box” ideas for those who have this expertise:

• Drone review of places with larger wilderness areas like Griffith Park or the Santa Monica Mountains.
• Pokemon Go:  if you play Pokemon Go and can spread the word to fellow Pokemon searchers, we’d appreciate your passing the flyer to them.  We have a specialized flyer for Pokemon Go players on the right-hand side of the blog.

We are still getting surprisingly few tips.  Thanks for those who’ve volunteered to be a “Tip Tracker”.  It helps a lot to have people who are in different geographic areas available for a quick response.  

LET'S FIND NANCY!!

Rep. Ted Lieu's assist on Facebook & Twitter

Facebook and Twitter accounts asks for help in finding Nancy and has posted the flyer.

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/RepTedLieu/

Twitter
https://twitter.com/RepTedLieu

Pokémon GO Players: While You’re Out “Look Up for Nancy!”

The recent Halloween update to Pokémon GO has players back on the streets, in the parks, and on the beaches of LA looking to catch new, valuable Pokémon monsters.  While you’re out hunting, we want to ask you to “Look Up for Nancy!”

Our dear friend Nancy Paulikas, a wonderful person who has been compromised by early-onset Alzheimer’s Disease, has gone missing in Los Angeles.  She wandered away from her husband and other family members in Mid-Wilshire area of LA and we’ve been looking frantically for her ever since.

So, hunters, while you’re out playing Pokémon GO this weekend, we’re begging you to also keep your eyes out for Nancy.  Her picture, description, and tip line phone number is below.  So as you track your prey, please… “Look Up for Nancy!”

AND… please share this with other Pokémon GO players as broadly as you can

Happy hunting!

------------------------------------------------------

In you see her, snap a picture and PLEASE CALL:  310-567-6594

Nancy Paulikas

5’7”, 140 lbs

Light brown/gray hair

Blue eyes, glasses

55 yrs old, mental functioning of a 4 yr old

***She has difficulty communicating.

Call 310-567-6594 or 310-567-6396

More information at:

www.nancyismissing.blogspot.com