BROOKLYN — The 20-year-old autistic man who went missing from his home nearly two months ago was found dead on Thursday afternoon on the green at the Marine Park Golf Course, police said.
Police responded to a call at 2880 Flatbush Ave. around 4:30 p.m. and found Brian Gewirtz unconscious and unresponsive. EMS later pronounced him dead at the scene.
Gewirtz, who a family friend said was both autistic and diabetic, left his family's house at 1653 Coleman St. in Marine Park at 9:30 a.m. on Feb. 17, police said. He told his sister he was going for a walk, Rosemary Lu, a colleague of Gewirtz's father at Bellevue Hospital who joined the search, previously told DNAinfo New York.
His body was recovered less than two miles away from his home.
Since his disappearance, Gewirtz's family and friends launched a massive campaign to bring him home. Their Facebook Page earned nearly 3,000 likes and a fundraising campaign levied more than $7,000 for a cash reward if someone found him.
On Thursday, 44 days after Gewirtz's disappearance, a message appeared on the Facebook page imploring the public for information about him.
PLEASE HELP FIND HIM!#SPECIAL NEEDS #needs his MEDICATION.IF SEEN CALL 911,keep in sight#TAKE PIC #$CURRENT REWARD IS $5000 FOR INFO LEADING TO BRIAN BEING FOUND.
Posted by Find Brian Gewirtz on Thursday, April 2, 2015
The Medical Examiner has yet to determine cause of death.
Gewirtz's family could not be immediately reached for comment.