He Went Missing On Halloween. Two Days Later, The NYC Marathon Helped Save Him
November 6, 2025
A Long Island family is crediting the New York City Marathon and a compassionate stranger for bringing their missing loved one home safe.
Giacomo “Jack” Campione, a 55-year-old man from Elmont with severe intellectual disabilities, disappeared on Halloween after getting separated from his group during an outing in Flushing, Queens. Dressed in costume and excited for the day’s activities, Jack somehow got swept up in a crowd after stepping off the Q13 bus — and vanished.
His disappearance set off a frantic two-day search.
“How do you survive in New York City for two days with no food, no medication, nothing to drink?” asked his sister, Giselle Campione. “We had a group of people out on the streets looking for him. We made flyers. If it wasn’t for the community, I don’t know if Jack would be here right now.”
For two nights, Jack slept on sidewalks and survived by saying “trick-or-treat” to strangers who shared Halloween candy. Somehow, he made it more than seven miles from where he was last seen.
On the third day, with thousands of people gathered for the New York City Marathon, someone noticed Jack fall near Queens Plaza — and stopped to help. That simple act saved his life.
“Whoever you are, thank you, thank you, thank you... You saved someone’s life, honestly,” Giselle said. “Thank you, New York, for helping my brother.”
The Campione family is now hoping to find and personally thank the good Samaritan who helped Jack — and they’re deeply grateful to everyone who shared his story online and helped bring him home safely.
Giselle shared a heartfelt thank-you video featuring Jack himself — you can watch it below:
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