A missing teenager, David Balisong, 17, has been found in a frail condition after surviving only on fast food during the time he was missing, but he is reported to be safe.
His mother, Minerva Balisong, 50, said she immediately recognized her son despite his drastic weight loss and physical changes.
“He is doing fine, but he only ate fast food and lost a lot of weight. Still, I knew it was him. We just found him, and I can hardly believe it. His hotel roommate reported him to the police, and we are now waiting for the authorities to take his statement,” she said.
Meanwhile, Kuan Chee Heng, better known as Uncle Kentang, revealed that he received information about a person resembling David staying at a hotel in Pudu, Kuala Lumpur, and promptly alerted the police.
He explained that the tip-off came from David’s fellow traveler who was staying in the same hotel and recognized him after seeing news reports about the missing British teenager.
“The individual contacted me after reading the news about the missing teen. Balisong had been sharing a room with four other travelers from different countries. One of them, a traveler from Korea, reached out to me to inform me of the situation. I want to thank the Kuala Lumpur police for acting swiftly in this matter,” he said.
The A-level student disappeared from his home in Cheadle, Greater Manchester, on June 6, after telling his brother he had school matters to attend to. Instead, he secretly boarded a one-way flight from Manchester to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, travelling alone. Once he arrived, he switched off his phone and stopped replying to emails, cutting off all communication. His final known contact came on July 9, when he sent an email to his mother, urging her not to worry or continue searching for him, apologising for his actions, and wishing his family success in life.
