An Oldham teenager who had been missing from home for more than a week, has been reunited with family.
Desperate searches began for Dillon Duffy (18) was dropped off at Asda in Chadderton at on June 18. He boarded a train to London, where CCTV captured images of him.
When he failed to return home, the Help Find Dillon Duffy facebook group was set up, with random members of the public offering to search, as well as put up ‘missing’ posters for the youngster.
But Dillon bravely took to the social media platform to admit he had downloaded some betting apps, and that it had developed into a habit.
When he was in London, he saw a news article on his phone which said his dad had been searching for him for six days. He said he felt hurt and decided he needed to get home and asked his parents to pick him up.
Dillon is now safe at home and has been reunited with his family.
He later updated his story on the facebook post on the group, which read: “I didn’t care if I won or lost, I just liked the thrill of it. At this point I had lost too much money. I began to feel very tired, very down and reached an all time low, and as someone who had never suffered from anxiety or depression I think it hit me hardest because I didn’t know what to do or where to go.”
Mum Donna, said: “What Dillon has done is amazing. He has had the confidence to reach out and tell his own story. Immediately I just wanted to find him.
“Everyone was frantically trying to get hold of him To hear my boy’s voice was the best feeling in the world. I stayed on the phone until his dad reached his location.
“These past 10 days have been hell. But what I have learnt is that there is so much kindness in the world. So much love that other people have to share and that’s what’s brought him back. I am truly grateful to every single person who never gave up, who shared a post, who shared a poster, who went out looking and who always thought the best of him.
“Never give up, never stop believing and always have hope.”
