The family of a man who spent years giving back to the community now needs the community's help finding him.

76-year-old John Henry Cheatham has been missing since August 7th and a Silver Alert has been issued, but his family isn't giving up hope.

Cheatham's wife of almost 60 years, Constance, said she first noticed something was starting to change in her husband around the time they renewed their vows for their 50th wedding anniversary.

"Just every now and then he would, forget something," Cheatham said.

It was Alzheimer's disease she said, slowly creeping up on the former paratrooper, surprising her about two weeks ago when she went to get the mail.

"I came in the house sorted the mail when I went back out he was gone," Cheatham said.

Cheatham said her eyes were off her husband for about 15 minutes and he could only shuffle down the street therefore couldn't have gotten very far. In the past, she said neighbors had stopped him.

"They [police] had had crime labs, bloodhounds, everything. Nobody can pick up a scent. It just seems like he disappeared, so I figured somebody must have picked him up," Cheatham said.

Since John Cheatham's disappearance the community has been out searching including the volunteers at Meals on Wheels in Durham like program coordinator David Logan.

"It's affected everybody deeply," Logan said.

Connie helps deliver meals for Meals on Wheels and said her husband used to until he no longer could. Logan said he hopes the community now gives back to him.

"He's done so much over his lifetime, you would hope that people would help him," Logan said.

Meantime his family is offering each other support.

"Giving each other hope and trying to keep our heads up," said Cheatham's nephew Reginald Charles.

Cheatham said her husband had no ID on him when he disappeared but she, has a sense of peace he'll be found.

"I just want some kind of closure, let me know, you know," Cheatham said.

John Cheatham is about 5 feet 7 inches tall and 180 pounds. He was last seen wearing khaki pants and a gray T-shirt and black baseball cap both with the word ARMY on the front.

If you have any information on his whereabouts you're asked to call the Durham Police Department at 560-4427.