Family seeking missing Howard Beach father

A Howard Beach family is desperately searching for their father, missing since Thursday, November 4.
Giuseppe Russo, 72, who also goes by “Joe,” suffers from Alzheimer’s and dementia. He was left alone for a very short time, said his daughter-in-law, Jennifer Russo, and he apparently left his home on 89th Street near Cross Bay Boulevard. The last time he was seen, he was walking south around 161st Avenue and 89th Street.
“We’ve checked hospitals, churches, senior centers,” said Russo. “And we’ve circulated 4,000 fliers in the surrounding communities of Ozone Park, Lindenwood, Hamilton Beach, Richmond Hill – we even went back to Brooklyn, where he was from originally. We’ve really been trying to get the word out.”
The NYPD and the local 106th Precinct has been searching the area, using helicopters and water dogs, and working in conjunction with the Black Cowboys.
And the family is receiving help from the Alzheimer’s Association, which is a national organization. They have been searching as far away as New Jersey and Connecticut.
“We’ve had a lot of calls coming in of people who want to help, but no leads,” said Russo, who noted that a potential sighting on Friday, November 5 on Cross Bay Boulevard near Sugar Bun can’t be confirmed.
Russo is 5’5″ and roughly 160 pounds with balding gray hair and brown eyes. When he was last seen, he was wearing a gray and green sweatshirt.
Anyone with information as to his whereabouts is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (8477). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers web site at www.nypdcrimestoppers.com, or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577.