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Family continues to search for missing man from Olean

Cole Geise: missing man with Autism
Posted at 12:09 AM, May 13, 2021
and last updated 2021-05-13 00:09:20-04

OLEAN, N.Y. (WKBW) — Cole Geise, 22, of Olean has been missing for more than a week.

“I think that he’s somewhere scared and lost, it’s just finding out where,” said his father Steve Geise.

Geise said Cole comes home by 10 o'clock every night. When he didn't come home May 2nd, Geise said he called Olean Police.

“Where’s he at, is he eating, does he have something to drink, is he warm, and those are the thoughts that go through mine and Cass’s head every single night,” Geise said.

He said the family's searched much of the city, and is now going to more wooded areas.

“We’re not thinking like actual adults here, we’re thinking like in the mind of Cole and where he would go on this,” Geise said.

He said Cole sometimes walks on back roads. His father thinks he might be lost, or slid and hurt himself. Cole has Autism and is considered a missing vulnerable adult.

“He does have a nervous issue where if you’re talking to him he’s gonna act like he’s nervous, but that’s just one of his ticks, it's what he does, he does it to everybody,” Geise said.

He's 6'5 and 215 pounds. Geise said his son's nickname is "gentle giant."

Geise said he was last seen wearing an Ecko sweatshirt, white shoes, and jeans.

He said if you see Cole take a picture of him and call Olean police.

“He wouldn’t hurt you, but we just don’t know where his mind is at," Geise said. "Like is he scared, is he thinking whatever thoughts he’s thinking, we just don’t want anybody to spook him off.”

Geise said the case was updated from missing person to an alert.

He said he wants his son to know he's not in trouble.

“Cole you’re not in trouble, if you’re listening, watching, please just come home that's all we want," Geise said. "We love you, and you’re not in trouble by any means at all.”

7 Eyewitness News asked Olean Police for an update on the investigation, but their Captain was not available.