It's been three months since Tracy Robichaud has seen her 23-year-old son, Ryan. And she wants him to come home.

Robichaud has reason to believe her son has suffered an undiagnosed head injury. Which has led him, most recently, to Huntington Beach in Orange County, southern California. Before that, he turned up in Los Angeles, Boston and Montreal.

"He had a near-death accident December 31st," Robichaud tells As it Happens guest host Laura Lynch. "He remembers driving, coming to a complete stop. That's all he remembered. It's farmland there, so the houses are far and few between. He was knocking, but nobody was answering the doors. He walked home."

He said 'Mom, I died that day in the accident. I look in the mirror and I see Ryan. I see my reflection, but my brain is not the same. I tried to call you so many times but the voices in my head wouldn't allow me.' - Tracy Robichaud, mother of Ryan

(Tracy Robichaud)

Ryan began acting differently after the accident, says Robichaud. But not enough that she became really alarmed.

"He was distant. He was withdrawn. He was also dealing with a lot with the insurance companies, doctors' offices, his work. His shoulder was hurting and his neck and his chest. So he was dealing a lot with that. I just figured that his mind was preoccupied with everything that was going on."

But then, a few weeks later, Ryan disappeared.

"That was horrible. He abruptly left the home January 15th. And I got a call on January 19th from him. I traced him to Boston, Massachusetts. He was hearing voices — a 'higher power' was 'leading him on this journey.'

"He said 'Mom, I died that day in the accident. I look in the mirror and I see Ryan. I see my reflection, but my brain is not the same. I tried to call you so many times, but the voices in my head wouldn't allow me.'"

We're terrified. We are very concerned for Ryan's mental, physical well-being. I'm frightened that he's not eating. He's not safe. - Tracy Robichaud

The latest tip Robichaud has received about her son came Tuesday night from a woman in Garden Grove, California. She told Robichaud that Ryan was very thin and weathered-looking. He said his name was Robert, but she recognized his face from one of the many flyers that have been posted in the area.

Ryan with his mom, Tracy ('The Search For Ryan' GoFundMe page)

"The person had given him money, twice," says Robichaud. "She asked me if he was a drug addict, and I said, 'No.'

"She said he was wearing a black shirt, tan Dickies shorts, black tennis shoes." According to the woman, he was also carrying a green backpack.

"We're terrified. We are very concerned for Ryan's mental, physical well-being. I'm frightened that he's not eating. He's not safe. He's in a foreign country. We know nobody in California or the States."

Robichaud hopes to head to California this weekend to coordinate an extensive search on foot for her son.

"I'm trying to raise funds right now. My girlfriend set up this GoFundMe account to get me out there. I need to find my son. I'm very desperate. I can't wait anymore."