Amsterdam man with aphasia may be Canadian missing since 1993, police say
Dutch authorities are probing whether a non-communicative man known as “Lucky” is actually John Russell Kenny, a Vancouver resident who disappeared in 1993.
A man who collapsed on an Amsterdam street in May 2023 and was later given the nickname “Lucky” suffers from aphasia, leaving him unable to communicate normally. He resides in a local care centre and has no identification, paying all expenses in cash and leaving virtually no digital record. After a cold-case unit released a video appeal, tips emerged linking him to John Russell Kenny, a Vancouver man who vanished in 1993 after struggling with mental-health issues and a nomadic existence.
Dutch police spokesperson Marijke Stor said witnesses recall the man speaking English with a North-American accent and using several aliases such as “Chris the Canadian” and “Louis.” Vancouver police, the RCMP, and Interpol are now collaborating to verify the match, though DNA testing would require a family member’s involvement. Authorities caution that the resemblance alone is insufficient for confirmation and emphasize the need for solid evidence before notifying families.
Why it matters
Identifying the man could resolve a decades-old missing-person case and reunite a family.
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