Missing Swansea man is recovering thanks in part to his sister’s cookies

Bill Crispin spent eight days lost and alone. Two weeks later, it’s not medical help or even a glass of water the Swansea man wants most — it’s cookies.

“He enjoys my chocolate chip cookies. He’s already asked for them,” said his sister, Sally Netemyer.

For his family, that simple request marks not just a miraculous survival but the return of the brother they know as a man of gentle spirit, quiet humor and great resilience.

Crispin, 67, is now recovering in a rehabilitation center after he was found alive following his disappearance from Grand Manor, an independent living facility in Swansea. His ordeal and remarkable rescue have touched hearts throughout the metro-east community and beyond.

“He was released from the hospital Monday. He’s on the mend,” Netemyer said. “All I want is for him to keep getting better.”

Crispin was discovered severely dehydrated and weak, yet responsive, in thick brush after an intensive search.

“It’s going to take some time for recovery, but every day he gets a little stronger,” Netemyer said. “We have great hope for him. He’s eating and drinking water. His numbers are getting better everyday.”

A life shaped by memory loss and resilience

The journey that led Crispin so far from safety is rooted in previous health struggles, his sister says. Five years ago, he survived a devastating heart attack, an event that left lasting damage to the part of the brain that’s associated with memory and navigation.

Since then, his family says, he has struggled with short-term memory loss and occasional disorientation.

“We don’t know what happened because he doesn’t remember,” Netemyer said. “We say he got confused and walked and walked and walked. How he walked that far, I have no idea.”

Yet even when lost and alone, Crispin’s willpower got him through.

“He can go up and down stairs without holding on to the railing — but I never thought he’d have the stamina for what he survived,” his sister said.

Before health concerns led to early retirement, Crispin worked as a lawyer in Gainesville, Florida. He is a University of Illinois alumnus who loves Illini sports, enjoys movies and, above all, his sister’s cookies.

“That’s my Bill,” Netemyer said.

Caregivers and family alike describe him as “the sweetest man.”

“He’s just a good guy. Reserved. Nice to everyone,” his sister said.

A community search

Crispin’s disappearance on Aug. 23 sparked a massive community search. When Netemyer couldn’t reach her brother by phone and found his apartment empty, neighbors, volunteers, Swansea police, firefighters, state troopers, dogs, drones and the Missouri Valley Search and Rescue Team quickly mobilized.

Flyers bearing his photo blanketed the area, and volunteers pored over hours of surveillance video, but the trail went cold after a few days.

“They had videos of him walking in different areas, but after Saturday there weren’t any more videos. It was like he just disappeared,” Netemyer recalled. “That’s probably because he was in that brush area. We watched the walls and listened for any phone calls.

“Needless to say, I was worried.”

Miraculous rescue

On the eighth day, the final push involved more than a dozen searchers combing woods and cornfields. Two rescuers from Missouri Valley Search and Rescue found Crispin lying in tall brush, hidden from view, but able to respond.

Mike Lawrence, Missouri Valley’s deputy director, said it took a machete to reach him.

“Typically the first 72 hours of a search are critical to find and recover a live person. Once you get beyond that, chances of finding the person alive drop off dramatically,” Lawrence said. “Going into day eight we were not overly optimistic about our chances of finding Mr. Bill in the condition he was found in.

“When we did come across him and not only was he alive, but responsive, I am sure you can imagine the joy and elation that was felt from our team and the community that showed up to support the effort.”

Crispin’s nephew, David Kehrer, participated in the daily searches and credits the rescue team and volunteers for the outcome on Aug. 30.

“Bill is not from the area,” he said. “He spent the majority of his professional life in Florida and was just a resident who lived here for two years. And these people just came out.

“It was spectacular to see them out there and for Missouri Valley to get that arranged.”

This story was originally published September 12, 2025 at 5:00 AM.