&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Mystery man with brain condition collapsed in Amsterdam 3 years ago. No one still knows who he is")
For three years, authorities in Amsterdam have been trying to uncover the identity of a man who collapsed in the street on May 10, 2023. They might finally have a clue and believe he is Canadian. At the time, doctors suspected he had suffered a brain haemorrhage. He was later diagnosed with aphasia, a brain condition in which the person's speech is impacted; they can't understand what is being said, nor can they decipher written words.
He had no ID on him either, and so no one knows who he is, even three years after the incident. Two retired police officers have been looking into the case since then, talking to shopkeepers and cafe staff he used to frequent. Recently, workers at the Soupenzo cafe on Waterlooplein identified him as "Chris the Canadian." However, most people have offered conflicting accounts, further puzzling the detectives.
Lucky, Louis, John?
At the start of the investigation, they learned that he was a member of a Buddhist community on Middenweg who identified him as "Lucky." But over the course of the probe, people at the public square, which he supposedly visited quite a lot, started using more names for him - Louis, Lee, John, Ponytail and Sonny. Some of them said that he was extremely wealthy and always had money on him.
An employee at the Soupenzo cafe told DutchNews that he appeared shabby and mentally unwell. He always had a suitcase on him and ordered a specific variation of soup which the staff always prepared for him. He always paid for the soup as well.
Why DNA tests have not been possible
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At the hospital, the man has been using English to say yes or no to things, but is unable to speak much beyond that. He is apparently speaking with an American or Canadian accent. The detectives have also tried using DNA databases and facial recognition technologies to learn about his identity. However, it has not been possible because of strict privacy rules. For now, detectives say that he is believed to have spent time in North America and Nepal. It is not clear since when he has been in Amsterdam.
The cold case detectives are wondering whether his family is looking for him but are lost as they don't know where he might be. "I simply cannot believe that nobody knows who this man really is," Nel said in the news release. Amsterdam police are asking those with some information to reach out to them.
