'It's going to help:' Lawmakers pass bill creating 'Green Alert' for missing, vulnerable veterans

Corey Adams

MADISON -- A bill aimed at helping vulnerable missing veterans is one step closer to becoming law, thanks to a Milwaukee mother whose son inspired it.

"He was just my buddy," Gwen Adams said of her late son, Corey. "It was me and Corey, and like I said, he was my little man."

Corey Adams, an Air Force veteran, was last seen alive in March of 2017.

"It was Memorial weekend before his last deployment. Went in the room; he wasn't there," Gwen Adams said.

Gwen Adams

Corey Adams

Corey Adams had been suffering from PTSD, and his mother, worried, called police a couple hours after his disappearance. She says it took eight days for an investigation to begin. His body was found in the pond at Dineen Park 18 days after his disappearance.

Body of man pulled from pond in Dineen Park

"Had that alert been out there like that, I'm sure somebody would've noticed him," Gwen Adams said.

Corey Adams

Since his death, his mother has turned her sadness into motivation -- working with lawmakers on a bill that would help find missing vulnerable veterans.

"I could not let that anger overtake me. I had to take it and use it in a positive way to make a difference," Gwen Adams said.

On Wednesday, lawmakers passed the "Corey Adams Searchlight Act," creating a "Green Alert" to help find missing, at-risk veterans. It would work similarly to Amber and Silver Alerts.

"I'm excited that it's going to help somebody else," Gwen Adams said.

Corey Adams

Adams called the bill's passing bittersweet. She said she's thankful it'll save lived, but she's sad it wasn't there for her son.

"He would say, 'Mom, if you could help somebody else, go ahead and help them,'" Gwen Adams said.

Corey Adams

The bill must still be signed by Governor Scott Walker. Adams said that's expected next week -- and she wants to take this effort nationwide.