How a social media post trolling KC’s mayor led to a missing person being found
It had been nearly six weeks since they last hugged, said “I love you” or even saw one another.
So, when William Keys, who had been missing in Kansas City for over five weeks, was reunited with his wife yesterday, the two embraced for over 15 minutes.
Keys first went missing on May 29 near the area of Emanuel Cleaver II Boulevard and The Paseo, his face and description appearing in police reports and news articles over the last few weeks.
And, in a twist of fate, 40 days after he was last seen, a simple — some would even say snarky — social media post is what brought him home and sparked the heartfelt reunion.
Earlier this week, a social media user posted to X, formerly Twitter, mocking Mayor Quinton Lucas for “making TikToks trying to show how hip he is” instead of taking care of more important city business. Namely, according to the poster, clearing out a homeless encampment near the QuickTrip at 81st and State streets.
That post got the city’s attention and was turned into a 311 report, which was passed along to Kansas City’s Office of Unhoused Solutions. The city’s homeless outreach team then went out there to connect with whoever might be living outside near there.
That’s when they found Keys, immediately recognizing his face from the missing persons reports. Keys was then taken to Care Beyond the Boulevard, a Kansas City-based community outreach organization, for a surprise reunion with his wife.
It was a moment unlike any other, said Josh Henges, the city’s homelessness prevention coordinator.
“I just screamed the ‘F’ word and then the word yes,” Henges said of the moment he was informed his team had found Keys. “How likely is it that a missing person is associated with the 311 report? It’s rare. How likely is it that a missing person is associated with a tweet about a homeless encampment? That has never happened to us. So yeah, it’s an exceedingly rare situation.”
Henges shared the story in a social media video Wednesday, which has since garnered nearly 65,000 views. In the post, Henge said Keys went missing after getting on a bus he didn’t mean to board, getting lost and confused once he got off, and taking shelter near a dumpster behind QuickTrip.
Henges’ team is on a mission to end homelessness in Kansas City by connecting with people who may be experiencing homelessness, offering services and transitioning people into permanent housing. Anytime a 311 report mentions the word “homeless,” like the one in Keys’ case, it’s sent to his office to investigate.
Keys and his family are currently working with Care Beyond the Boulevard to receive services, according Henges.
