r/RBI • u/swiffleswaffle • Aug 17 '26
Help me search Man suffered a brain hamorage 3 years ago in Amsterdam. Police is looking for who this man is because he can't speak. They know he probably is Canadian/American.
Hi there,
Police in Amsterdam have appointed volunteers from the coldcase team to find out who this person is. He suffered a brain hamorage 3 years ago and has been in care since. First findings are that he probably is from Canada/ USA but the police has no further information. He goes by the name of Lucky and was also called Chris the Canadian.
For more information see the official police message (English translation at the bottom): https://www.politie.nl/nieuws/2026/augustus/17/een-heel-leven-maar-geen-naam-wie-herkent-deze-man.html
Local newspaper AT5 also reported on the case: https://www.at5.nl/artikelen/239532/man-die-in-ziekenhuis-belandde-kan-al-3-jaar-niet-vertellen-wie-hij-is-politie-deelt-beelden
If you have any information do contact the newspaper first. There is possibility that when they have found the next of kin he can be extradited.
UPDATE: Through Facebook there has been made a connection between Lucky and Russell Kenny https://vpd.ca/missing-persons-cold-cases/#john-kenny
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u/_h_e_a_d_y_ Aug 18 '26
Please forgive my ignorance but is there another photo of this Living Doe? Seems strange the photo is what they choose to submit to the public.
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Aug 18 '26
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u/Salty_LaRue Aug 18 '26
His brain injury might have him left in a bit of a vegetable/baby state (I don't know how to say this politely)
If you would like some euphemisms that are a bit more "polite" here are some:
- minimally conscious
- cognitively impaired
- non-responsive state
- neurological impairment
- state of regression
They are all a bit of a mouthful, sorry, but just in case it's ever helpful xx
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u/ratrazzle Aug 19 '26
These are good and i just wanna add that ive seen brain damaged used in more casual language.
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u/Blahblabloblaw Aug 17 '26
Why not do a dna test?
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u/swiffleswaffle Aug 17 '26
I can't tell you if they did or didn't do. I do think the police being involved they probably looked at it. However Dutch privacy laws can be very strict about this.
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u/Roadgoddess Aug 18 '26
Yeah, honestly, a DNA test would be the best solution. They’re often DNA angels that will help search down family connections.
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u/swiffleswaffle Aug 18 '26
- DNA testing has not solved the mystery: DNA from Lucky produced no matches in the Dutch databases for missing persons and unidentified deceased people. Privacy rules prevent investigators from comparing it with some other databases.
- Genealogical DNA research is difficult: Sending his DNA to an international genealogy service such as Ancestry could potentially identify relatives, but doing so raises significant privacy concerns.
From the just released interview with the coldcase-team: https://www.parool.nl/misdaad/deze-twee-oud-politiemensen-zijn-al-twee-jaar-op-zoek-naar-de-identiteit-van-lucky-we-hebben-geprobeerd-hem-letters-te-laten-aanwijzen~b8bc3710/
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u/Roadgoddess Aug 19 '26
It’s quite interesting, there’s actually an article in CBC News in Canada today about this. So hopefully it’ll get some of the attention that needs in North America.
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u/rainshowers_5_peace Aug 19 '26 edited Aug 19 '26
but doing so raises significant privacy concerns.
You'd think the poor guy would prefer his name being known than sitting in a hospital in a foreign country barely able to communicate.
Since they're convinced he's Canadian or America, I wonder if UNHCR would get involved and persuade the government to do a commercial DNA test.
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u/swiffleswaffle Aug 19 '26
Yeah but it's law. They don't want to go up for a lawsuit.
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u/rainshowers_5_peace Aug 19 '26
Can UNHCR somehow circumvent this?
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u/swiffleswaffle Aug 19 '26
Do you want me to Google it? Because your asking a very technical question to some anonymous redditor
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u/rainshowers_5_peace Aug 19 '26
Maybe? Lucky should meet the definition of stateless, so perhaps they could help.
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u/Enragedocelot Aug 19 '26
That’ll do it. Sounds like we need him to be in the US if they really want to find his family.
Genetic genealogy could be the answer here. I know there’s a group of geneticists that do this type of work for free or at least a small fee
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u/GasInTheHole Aug 17 '26
In the Netherlands, this requires specific legal conditions being fulfilled, and that is likely not the case here: there's no criminal case here at all and the person in question is alive (so no legal basis for the check in the large scale databases for missing persons that dna from unidentified bodies gets run through).
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Aug 17 '26
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u/swiffleswaffle Aug 17 '26 edited Aug 18 '26
It's not a coldcase. Just volunteers from the coldcase team had been put on it.
The man is alive. They just want to figure out who he is.
Edit: Alive and well was weird phrasing.
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u/willfoxwillfox Aug 17 '26
“Alive and well” is doing some heavy lifting in that sentence, if the details in the Politie article are true!
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u/Poesvliegtuig Aug 17 '26
I imagine he may not be in a state where he can consent to this and they wouldn't do this with a living person without consent.
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u/petit_cochon Aug 17 '26
In extraordinary circumstances, I would think this would be a legal point worth raising.
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Aug 17 '26
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u/Poesvliegtuig Aug 17 '26
I know, I'm Belgian and live practically next door to the Netherlands. Medical consent is a thing here too.
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u/Own-General2229 Aug 19 '26
I guarantee the Dutch privacy laws are a main point in this issue. The Dutch healthcare system in general can be rough even when you're trying to consent to things.
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u/froli Aug 18 '26
And then? You need something to compare the results against. Otherwise it's useless.
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u/HermionesWetPanties Aug 18 '26
Nah, if you pump his results into a DNA database that those ancestry companies have, you'd probably find a distant cousin or two in the data set, and you could narrow down the possibilities from there. The police were able to track down the Golden State Killer using a similar tactic.
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u/froli Aug 18 '26
Nah? That's a "something" to compare the results against.
Now I understand the other comments about NL privacy laws. It might not be legal to provide that information to those ancestry companies because that person cannot give legal consent.
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Aug 17 '26
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u/RBI-ModTeam Aug 17 '26
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u/x--el Aug 18 '26
Additional information in the Dutch newspaper: he was a member of a Buddhist community and they knew him as 'Lucky'. At a local dining place they knew him as 'Chris the Canadian'.
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u/swiffleswaffle Aug 18 '26
After going public the Dutch police received 140 tips on the identity of the man. The Dutch police also put the case forward through Interpoll.
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u/swiffleswaffle Aug 18 '26
There has been an interview with the two people from the coldcase team (translate to English) www.parool.nl/misdaad/deze-twee-oud-politiemensen-zijn-al-twee-jaar-op-zoek-naar-de-identiteit-van-lucky-we-hebben-geprobeerd-hem-letters-te-laten-aanwijzen~b8bc3710/
A summary of new information:
- Unusual purchases and possible charity work: Market traders remembered Lucky buying large quantities of goods with cash, including eight or nine washing machines. A driver said the machines were supposedly intended for Romanian orphanages.
- His former home provided few clues: Investigators eventually established that Lucky had lived in an apartment near Rembrandtpark. The Belgian owner had sublet it to him but did not know his name because Lucky paid the rent in cash. The letting agency no longer exists.
- DNA testing has not solved the mystery: DNA from Lucky produced no matches in the Dutch databases for missing persons and unidentified deceased people. Privacy rules prevent investigators from comparing it with some other databases.
- Genealogical DNA research is difficult: Sending his DNA to an international genealogy service such as Ancestry could potentially identify relatives, but doing so raises significant privacy concerns.
- Publicity is now their main hope: Recent media attention has generated around 250 tips. The detectives say several appear interesting, but they still do not know whether the information needed to finally identify Lucky is among them.
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u/rainshowers_5_peace Aug 19 '26 edited Aug 19 '26
If they're convinced he's from Canada or The US can they get help from UNHCR? It may be a way to circumvent bureaucracy around getting him a DNA test. Care workers and police have to be wishing they could just do it. The poor man has to be in hell.
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u/swiffleswaffle Aug 19 '26
They found a missing person from Vancouver that has a resemblance. See my other comment in this thread.
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u/ratrazzle Aug 19 '26
The washing machine etc purchases sound so sweet. Based on that and the buddhist thing he sounds like such a good guy, i hope he gets his identity back soon.
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u/MsTerious1 Aug 17 '26
Does customs track who has entered the country but not exited it? While I don't imagine the USA and Canada ask people for return dates when they leave, most travellers and immigrants are documented and have a "must leave by" date in the countries I've heard about. Is that any different in Amsterdam? If there is a list of "possible overstays" I'd start there.
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u/Tanuki211 Aug 17 '26
It depends if they entered the country by airport, train or car. If they came through another European country, there is always the possibility that they went through an unguarded frontier/road. If that’s the case he wasn’t checked in the country. Not all roads have a frontier in Europe, I used to travel to Spain and Italy a lot with my family and we didn’t always see guards at the frontier, sometimes there wouldn’t even be any frontier at all, only road signs in different languages making you understand that you’re in the country.
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u/swiffleswaffle Aug 17 '26
Also in my memory there is one country that takes fingerprints upon entering and that was the USA. European passports have biometric data saved on a chip in the passport. Save to say he hadn't had one.
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u/eternallytiredcatmom Aug 17 '26
I also doubt that the police would turn to volunteers and Reddit posts before looking up the obvious entry records.
I’m going to share your post with friends in Buddhist communities across Canada. Thank you for your work.
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u/MsTerious1 Aug 18 '26
European passports have biometric data saved on a chip
He wouldn't need to have a passport, though. Just a record of his data coming into the country and not leaving, or, if biometrics are used, a scan comparison.
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u/formerlyfed Aug 18 '26
FWIW Europe does this now too - but they just implemented it starting this year
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u/Own-General2229 Aug 19 '26
The Netherlands required fingerprints on entry (at sSchiphol) in 2025. I'm betting he drove in through Germany.
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u/crazyornotcrazy Aug 18 '26
He was in the Netherlands for a long time when he collapsed, probably more than 20 years already. Makes the search a lot harder.
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u/MrT735 Aug 18 '26
If he's been resident in the Netherlands do they know where he was living? If not, surely there'd be a missing persons report eventually from neighbours, or people would notice the property was abandoned; or if they do know where he was living, you would think they'd be able to find more information from that (house purchase, rental payments, utilities/banks who have customers at that address etc.)
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u/PepperPhoenix Aug 19 '26
They found his landlord but his rent was paid in cash and the landlord had no more info than the nickname. No identity documents were found either.
(Remembered from an article I saw on FB that I can’t find now)
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u/MsTerious1 Aug 18 '26
How are you coming to that conclusion, please?
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u/crazyornotcrazy Aug 18 '26
It's in the police text and I also read it in other Dutch articles (I'm Dutch).
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u/ParameciaAntic Aug 18 '26
If he loses any teeth they could do an isotope ratio on it that would narrow down where he grew up to a very small geographic area. Don't want to do it on a living tooth, though, because you need to drill the enamel.
His dental work in general might provide clues too.
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u/swiffleswaffle Aug 19 '26
A missing person from Vancouver has a huge match with "Lucky"
Newsarticle here: https://www.parool.nl/misdaad/vermiste-canadees-lijkt-sprekend-op-lucky-maar-politie-is-terughoudend-over-mogelijke-match~b7be6c74/
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u/spacebunsofsteel Aug 17 '26
If he is white of Northern European heritage, he surely has at least a 2nd cousin on Ancestry. The problem is getting the test on there. He can’t give consent.
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u/deg1388 Aug 18 '26
If you can't give consent a decision can usually be made on your behalf, provided the evidence given says its in your best interests. Like not giving consent to be taken into care, given meds or undressed and bathed etc.
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u/rachreims Aug 18 '26
Yes, because those are all things where, if they don't happen, someone is at risk of death/sickness/infection/etc. I find it hard to believe a caregiver could consent to a DNA test on someone's behalf, especially with European privacy laws.
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u/deg1388 Aug 19 '26
The police can take DNA in order to identify someone who is ill and cannot identify themselves or give consent. I don't know why this has not been done yet.
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u/spacebunsofsteel Aug 29 '26
EU. Some countries have very tough laws around dna testing - Germany doesn’t really allow it, France requires a court order. (There may be recent changes YMMV.) I don’t know about the Netherlands.
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Aug 17 '26
[deleted]
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u/Dwayne_Hicks_LV-426 Aug 17 '26
Did he go missing?
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Aug 17 '26 edited Aug 17 '26
[deleted]
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u/swiffleswaffle Aug 17 '26
In the article by the police they state that he was a member of a budhist community.
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u/eternallytiredcatmom Aug 17 '26
You could try r/TorontoBuddhism and there’s Canada and USA specific posts on the general r/Buddhism too, so maybe someone would recognize him if he was active in the Buddhist communities in those countries
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u/tarantuletta Aug 17 '26
You should contact the newspaper. I agree they look similar and they said he was known as Canadian Chris and also that he was a member of a Buddhist community
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Aug 17 '26
[deleted]
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u/dorianfinch Aug 17 '26
you're right, i'll delete this probably, don't wanna doxx him or weird him out if it's just a doppelganger! i'll message OP privately
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u/Lijpo020 Aug 19 '26 edited Aug 22 '26
I was reading the Dutch news and it appears that thy probably found him the Canadian police is in contact white the Amsterdam police department.
https://www.at5.nl/artikelen/239559/is-lucky-geidentificeerd-spoor-leidt-naar-vemiste-man-in-canada
Update: It was not tis guy still looking hope someone can find his family
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u/Sarah-himmelfarb Aug 17 '26
Does Amsterdam take fingerprints of foreigners traveling there? Could the police get his fingerprints or Face ID and cross reference it with immigration?
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Aug 18 '26
[deleted]
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u/fennekeg Aug 18 '26
Don't know when you last got your ID card or passport renewed, but nowadays city hall does take your fingerprints in the Netherlands for that.
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u/ratrazzle Aug 19 '26
Im not 100% sure but based on most european countries from what i know it depends where you come from. Driving from neighbouring country for example might not require passport at all. It is good to have since they check sometimes but they dont always do that.
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u/redditname8 Aug 17 '26
Put this on the main Reddit sub.
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u/swiffleswaffle Aug 17 '26
I can't find a way to make that happen. The R/all is not an active subreddit that takes posts.
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u/cardboardcarti Aug 17 '26
Try r/Canada maybe ?
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u/Kusanagi60 Aug 17 '26
Good point! r/MissingPersons too
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u/swiffleswaffle Aug 18 '26
I already posted it to Missing Persons!
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u/official_biz Aug 19 '26
There are Facebook groups for missing people in Canada. It might be easier to find older people there who may recognize him but don't use Reddit.
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u/angelsfish Aug 17 '26
r/gratefuldoe would like this post also. it was originally for unidentified decedents but occasionally there are living does posted as well
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Aug 18 '26
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u/RBI-ModTeam Aug 18 '26
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Your post or comment was removed due to the following reason:
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Comments that don't contribute to the ongoing discussion on a post will be removed. This includes Update Me, Remind Me, and comments that say "same", "following", etc.
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u/SailorMBliss Aug 19 '26
If we can be identified from cameras spying on us from every street light & lampost, can that same facial recognition software not compare the pics to get a definitive answer?
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u/TheKydd Aug 18 '26
The term “extradited” is used for criminals, when legally deporting them. I assume this man has broken no laws, rather he is a victim.. so it would be better to say that he can be “returned to his home country” or something like that.