A New Athens man who walked out of a nursing home Wednesday morning was found safe a little more than an hour later.

Arthur Crowl, 84, was discovered to be missing at about 7:15 a.m. from the New Athens Home for the Aged on South Johnson Street. He was found about an hour later by a motorist as he walked in his flannel pajamas along a side road.

"He is a dementia patient," New Athens Police Department Det. Ray Wilson said. "We're glad he was able to be found so quickly and turn a potentially bad situation into a positive. It was an overwhelming show of community support. About 100 people were looking for him."

The driver that picked up Crowl took him to the Moto Mart on Illinois 13 in Freeburg and police were called.

Wilson said Crowl was taken to the hospital to be checked out. But he appeared to be uninjured.