A set of partial skeletal remains found in Queens late Monday afternoon are suspected to belong to a nurse who was reported missing in 2021, according to his heartbroken wife.
Richard “Max” Albright, a 69-year-old nurse at the Hospital for Special Surgery, was last seen departing from his home in Jackson Heights on October 14, 2021.
His wife, Cathy Albright, stated that the authorities informed her the remains discovered near a strip mall in College Point have been positively identified as belonging to her husband.
“I’m taken aback, yet I feel a sense of relief. The uncertainty has been the most challenging aspect. It’s been nearly four years,” she told PIX11 News.
While the NYPD and the medical examiner have yet to officially confirm the identity linked to the recovered human skull, hip, and leg bones, they maintained that the investigation is ongoing.
Cathy, however, is holding onto the hope that the painful journey of living with uncertainty will soon conclude.
“I always sensed he had passed, but having his remains and understanding what transpired is truly what I wish for,” she shared with the news outlet.
Authorities discovered a wallet belonging to Richard nearby the remains.
She strongly believes there was no foul play involved, suggesting that her husband may have encountered a medical episode after he left their home.
Richard had been on blood thinners following three open-heart surgeries shortly before he vanished, Cathy explained in 2021.
On the day he disappeared, she mentioned that he had been complaining about discomfort in his feet and was seen shuffling around in slider slippers.
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Cathy pursued every avenue to locate her husband, enlisting a private detective who discovered that Richard had purchased a 30-day Metro card and had taken a public bus on the day he went missing.
The couple shared a happy marriage for 23 years.
They initially crossed paths while both working at a Texas newspaper and moved to New York City after they were married.
Upon relocating, Richard transitioned into nursing and held his position at the Hospital for Special Surgery for 16 years.
At the time of his disappearance, Richard was reportedly dressed in khaki pants, a red shirt, and slippers.
