The intensive search for David Elliot Bradish, 80, has ended. He has been missing since about 3:30 p.m. Monday and has not been found. Today’s rain and possible snow make this kind of search more and more difficult.

Bradish is a white male, 6 feet tall, 180 pounds, with gray hair and blue eyes, and was wearing a black jacket, black denim pants, a black baseball cap and glasses when he was last seen. He was last at a house in the 54500 block of North Circle Drive in Idyllwild.

David Bradish
Photo courtesy of Riverside County Sheriff's Department

“Idyllwild is a hard area to search,” Lt. Zach Hall of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. “The tree canopies make aerial searches hard, There are many unoccupied homes and structures.”
Idyllwild and the Hill were the scene of an intensive search effort that grew each day through Wednesday, Nov. 28, when nearly 100 searchers, not including volunteers, were involved in the effort to find him.

The map showing which areas have been search, results and possible information.
Courtesy of the Riverside County Sheriff's Department

The county Sheriff's Department has enlisted aid from multiple Search and Rescue units from throughout Southern California, The response was exceptional, not only did Los Angeles County send search and rescue units, but jurisdictions such as for Montrose responded. Among the other counties and agencies offering help were San Diego County, San Bernardino County, and the Sierra Madre Forest unit from the Angeles National Forest. Many were up before sunrise to get to the Hill and assist in the search.

The Sierra Madre Search and Rescue unit came to Idyllwild to help search from David Bradish.

RCSD Sgt. Kenneth Reichle of the Sheriff's Department said this search is the largest contingent of law enforcement on the Hill in his career.

Even the Huntington Beach police were contacted to help look for Bradish. That is where he previously lived before coming to Idyllwild. They went to his previous residence, local hospitals and other locations without finding him either.

Wednesday’s efforts included a major door-to-door search throughout town. But the possibility of him reaching Mountain Center was included in the search area.

Monday night, searchers used a canine corps to try to locate a trail to follow. Bradish was thought to have walked away with reddish colored dog.

The search for David E. Bradish continued into the darkness Monday night, Nov. 26.
Photo by Steven King

A helicopter began circling Idyllwild late Monday afternoon. Unfortunately, neither searchers in the air nor canines on the ground were able to locate Bradish.

Tuesday morning, the Sheriff’s search unit re-grouped at their Command Center at the Idyllwild Fire Station to develop new search plans for Tuesday.

Tuesday morning, the Sheriff’s search unit r-group at their Command Center at the Idyllwild Fire Station. They were not able to find David E. Bradish Monday night and developed new search plans for Tuesday. Photo by Steven King

By Monday evening, the Sheriff’s Department issued a press release. This was used to activate a Silver Alert broadcast throughout the region.

It reported, “Bradish suffers from stage-two Alzheimer’s. Bradish does not drive and, according to family members, his disappearance is out of character. Bradish does not have a mobile phone.”

Anyone with any information into the whereabouts of Bradish is encouraged to contact the Hemet Sheriff’s Station at 951-791-3400 or after hours at 951-776-1099.