DENVER – An American Red Cross worker from Lakewood who went missing amid the ongoing search and rescue efforts happening in flooded-out southeast Texas has been found.
The Red Cross said Wednesday morning that Corey Hixson was accounted for and safe. Hixson's mother told Denver7 that Corey was in the hospital and staff were able to identify him because of media coverage.
Corey's brother, Matthew, said the Red Cross told him Corey was being sent home to Colorado, and said Corey had no serious injuries.
Corey Hixson had been unaccounted for after going out for the day Monday morning, Red Cross spokesman Bill Fortune told Denver7 Tuesday night.
Facebook posts from Hixson showed he was in Houston on Sunday and Monday, and he last posted to Facebook at 7:32 p.m. local time on Monday.
Fortune told Denver7 that Hixson drives an emergency response vehicle, and that he didn’t sign out Monday night or sign back in Tuesday morning.
Hixson’s brother, Matthew, told Denver7 by phone Tuesday night that it was unlike his brother to be gone for an extended period without communicating, and said Corey is trained in survival methods.
“He’s pretty dedicated. I know he was there training on a regular basis. What the training is for, I couldn’t tell you, but he was working in disaster response,” Matthew said.
“He’s very reliable. He’s trained in survival skills he’s learned throughout the years,” Matthew continued. “He volunteers with several organizations not related to survival or disaster, but he is the kind of guy who puts himself out there all the time.”