A homeless woman’s son and niece are reunited after reading a story in the Redlands Community News about the Center for Spiritual Living helping her move into a care home in Mentone.
Mary Anne Currie has been reunited with part of her family, but the article has helped her son, Fatih Lewis, locate his mother for the first time since 2008.
Mary Anne Currie was reunited with her son, Faatih Lewis, for the first time since 2008. After seeing the article in Community News’ office, Lewis cried and left to see her in the flesh.
“I couldn’t believe it when I saw the article, it brought me to tears of joy because she was alive when I thought she had been gone all this time,” said Lewis.
“I couldn’t believe it when I saw the article,” Lewis said. “It brought tears of joy because she was alive when I thought she was gone the whole time,” Lewis said.
Currie’s story began in 2018 when the Center for Spiritual Living on Church Street operated a shelter for homeless women. Curry suffers from memory loss. In the center, it would walk around and disappear.
A walk ended with a woman claiming to be a relative of Currie and trying to access his bank account. Shortly after, the Redlands Police Department sent out an all-points bulletin and found Currie near a red light.
After numerous attempts to trace her family, her niece Kanika Amous spotted the notice through a national newsletter. She then contacted the church to request a checkup, which ended the search and reunited Currie with her niece and two brothers.
Currie was transferred to the Rose Garden residential care center in Mentone.
That reunion did not include Currie’s son Faatih, who lost contact with his mother in 2007 when he and his daughter lived in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Lewis, knowing that his mother liked to be left alone, didn’t think much of losing touch early on. In 2008, when she wasn’t responding to messages, Lewis grew concerned.
Having his own family and life of his own, Lewis could not go all out in the search for his mother, other than unsuccessful trips back to Redlands.
“I started living life,” he said. “Before I knew it, 10 years had passed.”
Returning to the Inland Empire 18 months ago, Lewis intensified his search, but was unable to find his mother. Health issues and depression made matters worse, Lewis said. “My health has deteriorated, and when the search for my mother leads to a dead end, it will cost me a lot,”
On Tuesday, January 25, the search ended. He heard about the article about his mother and contacted the police, the Rose Garden Residential Care Facility and the Center for Spiritual Living on Church Street.
When he contacted the police, he was convinced that his search was coming to an end.
“I knew I was close when I called the cops and they told me to keep digging,” Lewis said.
He then turned his attention to the church and the nursing home.
“I contacted the church and the nursing home and they said she wasn’t there,” he said.
The reason Rose Garden told Lewis her mother wasn’t there was that she was Mary Ann Currie. Lewis did not refer to his mother with this name.
Knowing that his mother is safe and alive, Lewis reflects on her search.
“It was a long journey with a long road and a lot of dead ends,” he said.
Lewis said he was not informed by his family of his mother’s whereabouts due to a lack of communication.
Lewis is aware of her state of memory loss, saying, “I’m new to her conditions, but I needed to see her for myself and see what she remembers.”
He finally sees his mother again.
“I want to hug her and kiss her and never lose touch with her again,” he said. “I just want to enjoy my time with her on this earth because life is short.”
Lewis spoke with his mother via video chat. He has not yet come into physical contact with his mother due to safety rules at Rose Garden, but is expected to be cleared and reunited with his mother.
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