Missing man found safe, family speaks out
Johnathan Hendrix was diagnosed with bipolar disorder when he was just 23. His family says at 30 years old, Johnathan now struggles to find a balance.
COLUMBUS, Miss. (WCBI) – Going through parenthood has its ups and downs.
But those extremes can feel even more drastic when your child has a severe mental illness.
Darrell Hendrix said there are huge ups and downs.
“You have wins and losses,” Darrell said. “It’s kind of like, you know, you’re up and you’re winning and then it goes back down. When it falls, it falls hard.”
Krashaun Hendrix said an adult child regressing is hard.
“When you’re dealing with an adult, but then they regress into, you know, childlike qualities,” Krashaun said. “It’s been quite challenging, to say the least.”
Johnathan Hendrix’s family describes him as a creative free spirit.
Someone capable, intelligent, and personable- when he’s doing well.
At 23, Johnathan suffered a psychotic break from reality and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder.
A disorder characterized by extreme manic and depressive episodes.
After years of trial and error, his family saw that his medication was doing its job.
But then, on his own accord, he asked for his medications to be changed.
Krashaun said this was a devastating development.
“They adjusted his dose the next month, and all hell broke loose,” Krashaun said. “And we’ve been on a horrible roller coaster ever since then.”
That was back in September of 2023.
Now, Johnathan’s mother, Krashaun, says that last week he was sent to an 8-month mental health program in Alabama.
But Krashaun said that program didn’t work out.
“He wanted to leave, but he was willing to stay,” Krashaun said. “But I think, due to some personality clashes there, they just asked him to leave. And they dropped him off at the Love’s truck stop.”
When Krashaun went to pick him up, she found nothing but his suitcases and a witness saying he had boarded a Greyhound bus with nothing but his bible.
Johnathan’s father Darrell said he has faith in his son’s ability to make it through this.
“When I think of Jonathan, I think of his resourcefulness,” Darrell said. “He’s very resourceful. He’s very personable, likable. And I’d say he’s very durable. He’s been through, you know, he’s been through a lot that’s made him durable.”
Johnathan Hendrix was found safe in Valley, Alabama, where local police found him wandering.
But Clay County Sheriff’s Office chief deputy Steven Woodruff said it’s lucky Johnathan was willing to come home.
“I don’t know that anybody can force any grown-up to come back and to do anything,” Woodruff said. “You know, as long as they’re not breaking any laws. law enforcement has no legal right to make you be found. The Constitution protects everybody.”
When we followed up with Krashaun, she said their faith is what got them through.
“Our faith had to be bigger than our fear,” Krashaun said. “And that’s what we just had to stand on. It’s called faith in action.”
Krashaun said the next steps are to fight for the help that her son needs.
“We’ve just got to take the necessary steps, you know, to continue fighting for him,” Krashaun said. “So that he can get the help that he so desperately needs. If our story brings awareness, you know, to the situation so that others can be helped- that’s what I’m hoping.”
Over 600,000 missing persons cases are reported annually in the US.
