CALGARY -- A Grade 5 student reported missing Monday morning has been found safe.

The boy was walking to Raymond Elementary School in the southern Alberta community when he disappeared. He was found safe Monday afternoon. 

"The family said he has been found safe and would like to thank everyone for the help and co-operation," the boy's grandmother told CTV Lethbridge News.

Other family members expressed similar sentiments.

"I go to school, figure out he's missing and all of a sudden, I realize just how much he means to me," said the boy's older brother TJ. "It feels good to know he's safe."

The boy's grandmother said she was grateful for the way the community responded.

"People just kept (asking), 'Can we help, can we help?" she said. "We said we just need him found. You know - please come help us look for him."

"People were looking in cars, looking on foot," she added. "People were out by the cemetery looking. Everybody, just like everywhere you drove, there were at least five cars coming towards you and five cars behind you (looking for the missing boy)."

Raymond is about 30 kilometres south of Lethbridge.