– So much fun that I have become a celebrity! – VG

– It’s so much fun that I’ve become a celebrity! says Emilie Gitlesen to VG.

Emilie has become a familiar face to some after she was mentioned in various outlets on Monday, because she went in search of refreshments. Stavanger Aftenblad was the first to mention the case.

It all started when Emilie, who has Down syndrome, went out on Sunday morning to buy Pepsi Max. She defied her parents’ clear message that the store was closed on Sundays and embarked on a journey to Rema 1000 wearing a mask, coat and summer shoes. In his wallet he only had 200 crowns.

– We were expecting him to come home again when he found out that the Rema store in Grannes was closed. She is only 200-300 meters from where we live and she often goes alone, says Emilie’s father, Jens Petter Gitlesen, to Stavanger Aftenblad.

But Emilie did not return.

– People call all the time.

At first the parents weren’t so concerned and it took a few hours before they felt there was something wrong with Emilie not showing up.

Around 1 p.m., the parents called the police, and as night fell, they became increasingly concerned. At the same time, the family posted a post on social media and made a missing poster.

In an hour and a half, the post was shared 4,500 times, according to the family.

– People called and texted all the time, says older sister Ellinor Gitlesen, who on Monday night estimates to VG that the post was shared about 10,000 times.

– Society works better than I thought

The family drove looking for Emilie, especially where Pepsi Max was sold, and “everyone” also joined the search for Emilie: neighbors, friends, the police, taxi drivers and people on social media.

– Society actually works better than I thought and expected. People could have seen a different path, but they took responsibility, Emilie’s father Jens Petter tells NRK.

The parents managed to get some dark thoughts while driving to find the girl, writes NRK.

– I tried to keep those thoughts away. Because there are countless things that can happen. It felt like looking for the needle in the haystack, says Jens Petter.

While everyone was looking for Emilie, she sat on the train and relaxed. I was on my way from Sandnes to Oslo in search of Pepsi Max. First he had taken the bus from Sola to Sandnes.

A council gave answers

Just before 6 p.m., the police called Emilie’s parents and told them they had seen the daughter on the train. Then Emilie must have been upset and expressed that she was a little sorry for the whole trip.

Parents were indescribably relieved when they learned that Emilie was safe, writes Stavanger Aftenblad.

– Emilie had enjoyed a hamburger, pizza and See and Hear. And Pepsi Max. Someone must have treated her. So he’s had an absolutely fantastic time, says Jens Petter Gitlesen, who emphasizes that he and his partner should also have a serious conversation with Emilie about the fact that trips to Oslo alone aren’t that great.

When Emilie was found to be on the train, she had already arrived at Bø on Telemark. In order not to go down there alone, she took the train to Oslo, where her sister Ellinor met her.

Now Emilie has a little vacation with her sister who lives in Oslo.

– Now he’s probably in the apartment, Ellinor tells VG.

And Emilie explains that she relaxed during the train ride and that it’s been fun becoming a little celebrity the last few days.