This photo of a homeless man named Nicholas Simmons warming himself against a grate in Washington, D.C. ran in an issue of USA Today over the weekend.
On Sunday morning, a reporter for USA Today contacted Jacquelyn Martin, the AP photographer behind the cover photo.
@Jacquelyn_M Hey Jacquelyn, a photo you took ran with my story today. A family has contacted me saying the man pictured is their missing son
Natalie DiBlasio
@ndiblasio
@Jacquelyn_M Hey Jacquelyn, a photo you took ran with my story today. A family has contacted me saying the man pictured is their missing son
Nicholas' parents Paul and Michelle saw the photograph on the frontpage after a neighbor posted it to a now-deleted Facebook page set-up to help them find their son.
@Jacquelyn_M This is the picture. Are you available for me to call you quickly?
Natalie DiBlasio
@ndiblasio
@Jacquelyn_M This is the picture. Are you available for me to call you quickly?
Nicholas had been missing for four days when they stumbled across his photo.
@Jacquelyn_M Yes, can you call this mother? She lives in N.Y. but her son and husband are headed to DC to look for Nick. I'll DM you the #
Natalie DiBlasio
@ndiblasio
@Jacquelyn_M Yes, can you call this mother? She lives in N.Y. but her son and husband are headed to DC to look for Nick. I'll DM you the #
D.C. Police began working with police from Greece, New York, where Nicholas' family lives, to help reunite him with his parents.
The family is currently traveling down to Washington. After the photo was taken, Nicholas was taken to George Washington University Hospital as a precaution.
"GOD took that photo, GOD made us find him," Nicholas' mom wrote on Facebook. "My baby looks so lost and I will be spending the rest of my life making him well."
