Mebane, N.C. — Authorities issued a Silver Alert Friday for a 36-year-old man who walked away from a group home in Mebane.
Mebane police said Nathan Charles Austin suffers from a cognitive impairment. Austin was last seen at 502 Hawfields Road and said he was going to walk to Greensboro.
Austin was described as a white man standing 6 feet 5 inches tall and weighing 180 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes.
He was last seen wearing a blue shirt, black sweatpants and black-and-white sneakers. He also wore a blue coat.
Anyone with information about Austin should call P. Davis at the Mebane Police Department at 919-563-9031.
Developed in 2007, Silver Alert is a system to quickly notify the public about missing, endangered adults who suffer from dementia or other cognitive impairments, such as Alzheimer's disease.
It also allows caregivers and nursing homes to report a person missing. In the past, only a family member could report an adult missing.



![[SLIDESHOW]](http://wwwcache.wral.com/asset/entertainment/out_and_about/2012/02/04/10712136/pics_agunn53833-100x75.jpg)
![[SLIDESHOW]](http://wwwcache.highschoolot.com/asset/content/2012/02/11/10717011/10717011-1328936455-100x75.jpg)
![[SLIDESHOW]](http://wwwcache.highschoolot.com/asset/content/2012/02/11/10717059/10717059-1328939591-100x75.jpg)
![[SLIDESHOW]](http://wwwcache.highschoolot.com/asset/content/2012/02/11/10717043/10717043-1328939633-100x75.jpg)





WRAL.com welcomes your comments on this story. All comments are moderated prior to publication based on our posting guidelines. Please review them prior to posting and if your message is not approved.
This story is closed for comments. Comments on WRAL.com news stories are accepted and moderated between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.