On May 10, 2023, a man collapsed on the street and was taken to Amsterdam’s OLVG hospital. Today, volunteer police are still working to figure out who he is.
According to police, the man was found to have suffered a cerebral hemorrhage/stroke and developed aphasia.
In his case, this means that it’s nearly impossible for him to communicate; he can say “definitely” and “nonsense” to confirm or deny something, but he can’t communicate his name or address.
He’s believed to be an English speaker
Investigators (two retired officers named Ruud and Nel) believe that the man must be an English speaker based on his responses.
They have also been able to determine that he is a member of a Buddhist community based in Middenweg in Amsterdam, where he goes by the nickname “Lucky.”
They also discovered that he enjoys the occasional drink at Soep en Zo on Waterlooplein, where he is known as “Chris the Canadian.” Based on the man’s accent, they believe he is indeed either Canadian or from the US.
A right to an identity
While Ruud and Nel have been able to determine this much, due to the man’s inability to communicate, they have hit a wall.
They believe this isn’t helped by the fact that his family is likely in the US or Canada.
In a statement from police, Nel says, “I simply cannot believe that nobody knows who this man really is. Isn’t it strange that you could perhaps live under the radar in the Netherlands for twenty years?”
“Every person has the right to an identity, and that includes this man,” Ruud adds.
Do you think you may know who this man is? You can contact the police using this form.
