An ASU student who has been missing since April 21 made contact with his family Wednesday evening to tell them he was safe, the student’s brother said.
Daniel Heidinger, who Tempe Police reported as missing for a week, called home at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Ben Heidinger said.
“I just talked to him,” Ben Heidinger said. “He is okay. He called home and just wanted to let everyone know he is okay.”
Ben Heidinger declined to go into detail about where Daniel was or why he left his Tempe apartment last Wednesday, leaving behind his cell phone, wallet and keys, telling no one where he was going.
“We’re not ready to talk about that just yet, but we want everyone to know that Dan is okay,” he said.
Tempe Police reported that Daniel Heidinger was last seen boarding a westbound light rail near Fifth Street and Mill Avenue on April 21.
After missing shifts at his work and a final, his family and friends launched a widespread effort to raise awareness in conjunction with the Tempe Police department.
A Facebook group dedicated to spreading the word of Daniel’s disappearance gained more than 16,000 members in less than a week, with hundreds of messages from concerned friends, family and strangers expressing their support.
“We can’t thank everyone enough for their support,” Ben Heidinger said. “Your thoughts and prayers meant so much.”
Reach the reporter at kpatton4@asu.edu
