After disappearing more than six weeks ago, UCLA student Ahmad
Arain has returned home to his grateful and relieved family.
The fourth-year computer science student was picked up by family
members in Tijuana, Mexico, Sunday night after he sent them an
e-mail indicating his whereabouts.
“We’re ecstatic,” said Sulayman Arain,
Arain’s brother. He said the six weeks had begun to take a
toll on his family, shaking their confidence that Arain would
safely return home.
“We thank God that everything turned out for the
best,” Sulayman said.
Arain’s family does not know how or why he ended up in
Mexico but they believe he may have suffered a mental breakdown.
Arain visited with a physician Monday, the result of which led his
family to believe Arain had “temporary amnesia or
blackout,” as he had not indicated whether he remembered how
he got to Mexico, said Rafe Husain, Arain’s uncle.
Arain is not terribly talkative, and his family is not pressing
him on all the details of his disappearance yet, Husain added.
After being reported missing July 23, Arain survived with little
food and no shelter for a month, drinking water from a hose at a
Tijuana gas station, Sulayman said.
About two weeks ago, a Mexican family found Arain sitting at the
gas station and brought him into their home, giving him food, water
and clothes. When he regained his composure, he sent an e-mail to
his family, Sulayman said.
Sulayman said his brother, who was noticeably thinner, had been
dehydrated and is now relaxing at home.
“He’s weak physically, he lost a lot of weight, but
otherwise he’s fine,” Sulayman said. “He’s
happy to be home.”
Sulayman also said Arain is not ready to discuss the ordeal
publicly.
Sulayman said his brother will likely not be back at UCLA when
classes resume for fall quarter Sept. 30 and will instead return
“when he feels comfortable.”
Arain’s family had been offering a $20,000 reward for
information leading to his safe return. The family gave the Mexican
family an undisclosed amount of money, and Husain said
Arain’s family may give the Mexican family more money
soon.
“The money we gave them was a personal gift,”
Sulayman said.
Arain’s 21st birthday was Aug. 20. Sulayman said the
family had not decided whether to throw a belated birthday party
for him, but he said the family will have a party to celebrate his
return home and as a show of appreciation to everyone involved in
the search.
University police investigators, who have been conducting the
search for Arain, will speak with Arain today “to see if
there’s any background that requires any other action from
us” before closing the case, said Nancy Greenstein, director
of police community services for the UCPD. She said the UCPD is
gratified Arain has returned home safely.
Arain was reported missing July 23 after he failed to return
home from an appointment with an academic adviser on the UCLA
campus. Arain, who never arrived at the appointment, was last seen
on surveillance footage that day exiting an MTA bus about 6 miles
from the UCLA campus.
Arain’s disappearance came as a surprise to his friends
and family, who described him as “quiet” and
“family oriented.” They said it is unlike him to leave
without telling anyone where he is going.
With reports from Menaka Fernando, Bruin senior
staff.