Mysterious man found in Amsterdam cannot communicate identity after stroke; police seek help

Authorities are appealing for information to identify a man discovered in Amsterdam in May 2023, who has been unable to communicate his identity since suffering a stroke. The man, described as a well-groomed Caucasian male between 60 and 70 years old, approximately 1.78 meters tall, with a full grey beard and his own teeth, was found with a large dark blue shopping bag containing food, 40 euros, and a Buddhist book.

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That was Chris.

His identity remains unknown after three years of police investigation. He currently resides in a care center in Amsterdam Southeast. Doctors diagnosed him with aphasia following his hospitalization, a condition that severely impairs his ability to communicate, including providing information about his identity or address. This makes the investigation particularly challenging, as he is not a suspect, preventing the collection of fingerprints or DNA without his consent.

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It is barely possible to communicate.

Adding to the complexity, he does not fit the profiles in databases for missing persons or the list of unidentified individuals the police are trying to trace. The police case was transferred to retired investigators from the Cold Case Team, who discovered the man was known within an Amsterdam East Buddhist community as "Lucky." He speaks English with a noticeable accent, possibly American or Canadian, and still uses words like "nonsense" and "definitely," though communication remains limited due to his aphasia.

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Nonsense