By Liv N. Large
Springfield, IL — A local family made a shocking discovery this week after deciding to finally tackle their pandemic clutter: their son, who had been missing since the early days of COVID-19 lockdowns, was found alive and well in their own basement.
The Mitchells, like many families, had taken advantage of quarantine to do some serious home cleaning. After months of putting it off, they finally ventured into their basement, which had become a dumping ground for all things forgotten and neglected.
“We were just trying to clear out some space when we found something we never expected,” said Karen Mitchell, still in shock. “There, tucked behind some old boxes of Christmas decorations, was our son, Josh.”
Josh, who was 18 when the pandemic began, had gone missing in April 2020. After extensive searches and numerous pleas on social media, the family had feared the worst. But unbeknownst to them, Josh had simply holed up in the basement to avoid the stress and chaos of the outside world.
“I didn’t want to deal with any of it,” Josh explained. “The news was overwhelming, and everything was so uncertain. I figured I’d just ride it out in the basement and lost track of time… for three years.”
Living off canned goods, snacks, and the occasional grocery delivery left unattended on the porch, Josh had created a cozy little bunker for himself, complete with a gaming setup and a makeshift bed. He admitted that he had been too embarrassed to come back upstairs once so much time had passed.
“Eventually, it just felt too awkward to pop up and say, ‘Hey, remember me?’” Josh said with a shrug. “So I just stayed put.”
The Mitchells are relieved to have found their son, though they’re still grappling with the bizarre circumstances. “We’re just glad he’s safe,” said Karen. “But we’re also a little miffed he didn’t just say something. All this time, we were worried sick, and he was just downstairs binging Netflix.”
Josh has since rejoined the family upstairs and is slowly adjusting to life above ground. The Mitchells, meanwhile, are considering adding “Check the Basement” to their list of emergency preparedness plans for the future.
“We’ve learned our lesson,” said Karen with a wry smile. “Next time, we’re not waiting three years to clean out the basement.”
Chip Byteley