The SA Police help the Maltese family to check on a relative who has been living in Port Augusta
Lillian Chetcuti Riolo enjoys helping Maltese families reunite with their long-lost loved ones living abroad.
Key points:
- An Australian-born woman living in Malta sent an email to the SA Police in the hope of finding a long-lost relative.
- Two officers immediately performed a welfare check and found the man safe and sound
- They sent a smiling selfie of the trio back to the woman in Malta
But when it came to her own family, she crashed and sought the help of police officers almost 15,000 kilometers away.
Ms Riolo was born in Sydney but has been living in Malta for 30 years, where she runs social media pages that share life on the Mediterranean island.
It also has a dedicated page to help Maltese residents find long-lost family and friends, and has been able to reunite many families.
So when one of her aunts died, she was asked by her Australian relatives “to check on the last living brother in Malta”.
“This is how I got involved to take care of my brother Allessio in Malta,” she said.
Alessio told her about a long lost brother in South Australia that no one had heard from in 20 years.
“Before they corresponded by letters but the letters stopped,” she said.
Ms Riolo used her vast social media contacts to see if anyone lived in Port Augusta or knew about the brother, named Freddy.
“But no one did,” she said.
With experience in helping other Maltese families to reunite with their loved ones, Mrs Riolo turned her amateur detective skills to her own family.
“I did my research as I do when I help many around the world [and] a volunteer who finds missing or biological parents,” she said.
After finding her uncle’s home address, Ms Riolo emailed the local council and police station in Port Augusta hoping for help.
An hour later she received a reply from the SA Police, complete with a photo of two smiling officers and her long-lost uncle.
“I was so happy and over the moon with excitement that I cried all day,” Ms Riolo said.
She said she was “surprised” that the two officers involved “went out of their way” for her family.
Officials praised the quick response
The SA Police confirmed that two officers were called to a Port Augusta home on November 18, to check on the well-being of a man.
“The gentleman was found to be safe and well, and the trio posed for a photo to send back to his relatives overseas,” said a spokesman.
“On some occasions, the police are tasked with contacting family members from interstate or foreign relatives who need to contact them.
“Members of the public outside South Australia can call 131 444 – the Police Helpline – to arrange a watch to check on the welfare of family members.”
Social media users praised the quick actions of SA officers after Ms Chetcuti Riolo posted the photo online.
“Also appalling the police to follow up so quickly on your concern of a family member,” wrote one user.
“Oh my god! This is absolutely incredible,” wrote another.