O.C. Man, 79, Dies After Wandering From Family
A 79-year-old man who walked away from his Tustin home for three weeks died after he wandered away again and was struck by a car while crossing the Santa Ana Freeway, authorities said.
Ralph Sortillion Esperanza went for an early-morning walk on Sept. 28, the day after he moved from Arizona to his granddaughter’s home in Tustin, authorities said. Family members said they wanted to keep an eye on Esperanza, who had suffered from memory lapses for the past 20 years.
He was finally discovered Oct. 17 at the Rossmoor Shopping Center, after strangers gave him money, food and even a change of clothes during his ramble.
But Esperanza disappeared again Sunday.
He was struck and killed about 4 a.m. Monday while walking across the northbound lanes of the Santa Ana Freeway near Jeffrey Road, authorities said.
Coroner’s investigators identified him by a missing-person flier found folded in his shirt pocket. It was one that had been distributed during his earlier disappearance, authorities said.
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