Silver Alert issued for Colfax man, possibly headed toward Burlington

Authorities issued a Silver Alert for 74-year-old Donald David Brugger after he was last seen around 11:30 a.m. in the 8500 block of Bayron Drive in Colfax, on his way to the YMCA, with investigators saying he may have traveled toward Burlington.

Brugger is described as 6 feet tall, about 195 pounds, with short gray hair and blue eyes. He was last seen wearing a red polo shirt and black or gray shorts. The alert asks anyone who spots a man matching that description to contact Guilford County Sheriff’s Sgt. J. Robertson at (336) 641-3356 right away.

The case is being treated as urgent because the N.C. Center for Missing Persons says Brugger is believed to be suffering from dementia or Alzheimer’s. In a Silver Alert, those details matter because the concern is not simply that someone is missing, but that he may be unable to safely navigate a trip, recognize where he is, or ask for help without assistance.

North Carolina law gives the N.C. Center for Missing Persons the sole authority to activate a Silver Alert, and only after a law enforcement agency requests it and enough identifying information is available. State law says the alert is intended for a missing person age 65 or older who is believed to have dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, or another cognitive impairment that prevents the person from meeting his or her own needs or seeking help. A 2009 session law clarified that the alert can also be used for a person of any age if cognitive impairment is believed to be involved. The system was created in 2007.

The broader stakes are clear in North Carolina, where aging and memory-loss cases are becoming more common. NCDHHS says one in six residents is 65 or older, the state is expected to reach one in five by 2025, and older adults are projected to outnumber children by 2030. The department estimates about 210,000 North Carolinians were living with Alzheimer’s disease in 2020, while the Alzheimer’s Association’s 2024 figures list 210,500 North Carolinians age 65 and older with the disease.

With Colfax, Burlington and the surrounding Guilford County area now tied together in the search, officials are urging residents to stay alert along roads, shopping areas and the corridor leading toward Burlington, including the Alamance County Community YMCA at 1346 South Main Street.