(This story has been updated with additional information and an interview with Paul Fales' father, Peter.)

Paul Fales, a 2010 Eastern Michigan University graduate and son of an Ann Arbor attorney, has been found alive and well four days after he went missing in the wake of the tsunami that struck Japan. 

Fales was reunited by phone tonight with his parents in a dramatic scene on CNN at about 10:20 p.m. Reporter Soledad O'Brien helped Fales call his parents, Ann Arbor assistant city attorney Mary Fales and Monroe attorney Peter Fales, while viewers watched the exchange on "Anderson Cooper 360."


 

“How are you? We really miss you,” Peter Fales told his 25-year-old son on O'Brien's satellite phone.

"I'm fine, Dad. I’m all right and everything. It’s been crazy," Paul told his dad.

Paul, a Monroe native, had gone missing after a massive earthquake struck just off the coast of Japan four days ago, causing a tsunami that essentially destroyed the coastal city where he was living. He was working as an assistant language teacher in the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program in Kesennuma City, Miyagi, Japan.

Peter Fales, in an interview tonight with AnnArbor.com, said he and Mary were notified by CNN about 15 minutes before they went on the air that O'Brien had basically "bumped into" Paul in Japan.

It turns out that after the tsunami struck, Paul had stayed with his students at their school to help keep them safe.

When the tsunami hit, he was teaching at one of four school buildings he frequents as part of his job — and this one happened to be located on an island just off the coast of Kesennuma that was not as badly affected as the mainland.

But his parents didn't know that.

In fact, information about Paul's whereabouts was virtually nonexistent until CNN tracked him down.

Now, four days of staggering anxiety has given way to sudden relief.

"He is a very quiet individual in a sense, but he’s got a lot of strength," Peter told AnnArbor.com. "We just guessed that unless he had been affected himself, he would've been taking care of his kids."

In the CNN broadcast, O'Brien handed an earpiece to Paul, who proceeded to have an on-air conversation with his mom and dad.

He said he was OK. He said most of the parents of his students lost their homes, but that all of his students had survived.

At one point this weekend, his students even asked him to teach them some English in the school gymnasium.

"They’re all in good spirits despite all that’s happened," he said on CNN. "They’re still kicking and just doing the best."

Paul Fales, a 2010 EMU grad, has been found alive in Japan.

Photo courtesy of the Fales family

Hopes for finding Paul seemed to fade by the day as news reports told of terrible destruction in the region where he was working. 

According to numerous news reports, Kesennuma was devastated as massive flooding ignited raging fires, destroying much of the city.

It was "extreme anxiety for four days and lots of people helping us out and pointing us in different directions," Peter said.

Paul was two months into a one-year commitment as an English teacher for what Peter believes to be primary-age schoolchildren.

"He liked the idea of being able to teach English. He always loved Japan and the culture," Peter said tonight. "He’s been wanting to go for a long time. He had spent a year there in college, down near Osaka, so he liked being there and liked getting a job there."

At the end of the CNN interview, Paul's mother, Mary, came onto the line.

"Mom, I’m OK," Paul said. "Hey, Mom."

"You sound wonderful," Mary said.

"I am," Paul responded.

"We love you," Mary said. "We’re very proud of you."

"I’m just trying to take this one day at a time, just like everyone else," Paul said.

His dad urged: "Get a hold of us as soon you can so you can get back to us, OK?"

At that point, in a lighter moment, his dad noticed that Paul was still wearing Peter's knit cap.

"And you still got my hat there," Peter said.

"Yes, I still do," Paul said. "I’ll get it back to you as soon as I can."

Contact AnnArbor.com's Nathan Bomey at (734) 623-2587 or nathanbomey@annarbor.com.