In the golden hush of an autumn afternoon, a mother’s world shattered in a single blink. Six-year-old Parsa, who lives with autism and is non-verbal, had vanished into the dense bushland of Victoria’s Dandenong Ranges during an Easter family outing. What followed was a 16-hour ordeal that turned strangers into searchers, and a nation into silent witnesses of a mother’s worst nightmare — and its miraculous ending.
Parsa had wandered off around 4pm from Olinda Playspace on Good Friday, triggering a frantic search by family and friends. Within half an hour, police were called and a large-scale search was underway.
With more than 200 people — including police, SES, the Air Wing, sniffer dogs, and local volunteers — combing the rugged terrain, the operation stretched through the night. Despite wearing an AirTag, the device had last pinged at midnight. It was later discovered hanging on a tree, likely removed by the young boy irritated by its beeping.
As hope dimmed in the early hours of Saturday, a local teenager unknowingly became the hero of this story.
Eighteen-year-old Kalorama resident Asher Shinkfield had set out on his usual mountain bike ride when, around 8.15am, he spotted a small figure sitting alone on a forest trail — more than eight kilometres from where he had disappeared.
“He was fairly calm, he was really tired, obviously a long night,” Asher told reporters.
“It feels great, it’s heartwarming… right place, right time.”
Parsa, though sleep-deprived, had not suffered any injuries. Paramedics gave him orange juice and an apple before he was taken home for rest and reunion.
For Parsa’s mother, Sahar Abedi, the moment marked the end of a nightmarish ordeal and the beginning of an outpouring of gratitude.
In a moving Facebook post, she wrote:
“My worst nightmare came to life — I lost my son in one of the most beautiful places I know, and he spent 17 hours alone overnight in the bush… From that moment until he was found, I lived through a thousand deaths.”
“It wasn’t just the SES teams, the police force, or the firefighters who searched tirelessly for my boy. It was the local community — the heroes without uniforms,” she added.
“People I had never met brought us clothes, toys for Parsa’s twin sister, warm homemade cakes, food, water, and hearts full of love.”
But instead of dwelling on the fear, Sahar chose to shine a light on compassion. She reserved special thanks for Asher, the teen who stayed by Parsa’s side and called police.
“To the young man who found Parsa… Parsa’s guardian angel will look after you, my friend. I’m so deeply grateful for you. I truly hope to meet you and give you the hug you so deeply deserve.”
Knox Acting Senior Sergeant Melissa Gostimir called it an “Easter miracle” – “It’s not that often that I get to stand here with a smile on my face at the end of the day,” she said.
“Searches for lost children with autism can be particularly challenging as often they are unable to communicate with searchers.”
Officers had tried playing Parsa’s favourite song — Hickory Dickory Dock — on loudspeakers throughout the night in hopes of drawing him out. But in the end, it was the quiet presence of a kind stranger that brought him home.
As the sun rose on Saturday, so too did the spirit of a community — one that rallied, searched, and wrapped a family in its arms. And for one mother, whose heart had nearly broken, there were no words more powerful than these:
“Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. Your kindness will never be forgotten.”
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