BREAKING NEWS: KU Hospital looking for identity of 'John Doe'

The University of Kansas Hospital is asking for the public’s help in identifying a “John Doe” patient who was admitted to the hospital earlier this month.

According to the hospital, the man was found underneath a sport-utility vehicle in a used car lot or junk yard somewhere near 16th Street and Truman Road in Kansas City, Mo.

The patient is described as a black male, approximately 6 feet tall, and weighing about 180-190 pounds. He has black hair with some gray mixed in, plus a full beard and a mustache. He is believed to be in his late 50s or early 60s.

The patient has suffered a stroke and suffers from Broca’s Aphasia, a disorder that affects speech. The man has told hospital officials that his first name is Greg or Gregory, but can’t provide any further information.

The man was last see wearing dark blue jeans with a brown belt and a navy blue T-shirt. He had several bus schedules in his pockets for Bus No. 71-Prospect; Bus No. 175-75th Street (Mo.); and Bus No. 129-1-29 Express.

Hospital officials have been trying to cope with a difficult situation they don’t see that often.
“It’s very rare,” KU Hospital spokesperson Dennis Minich told the Kansan. “This is only the second time that anybody remembers that we actually had to do this.”

Minich said the hospital is just now turning to the media because they’ve been trying to track down the man’s identity through law enforcement databases.

“The police have done everything they can, and they’ve exhausted all their options,” Minich said.

Gail Saunders, a social worker at the hospital, said the man appears to be homeless.

“I would guess he is,” Saunders said. “The clothes he had on were pretty worn and dirty.”

Saunders said the man was brought in by a MAST ambulance, but other than that they don’t have any information about how he was found. He seems to have suffered the stroke before being brought in, and when he was found he was intoxicated.

Other than the side effects from the stroke, the man seems to be in reasonably good health, Saunders said, although he is in need of therapy to help him recover from the stroke.

The man has tried to give hospital workers pieces of his last name. Saunders said at one point, when asked about his last name, he tried to write out the letters “DAMP” or “CAMP.” But at other times, he’s written out what appears to be the name “Robinson.” Saunders believes he’s confused from the stroke and may not know his last name.

Anyone with information about the man is asked to contact Saunders at (913) 588-4365.

According to the hospital, a photograph will be made available as soon as one can be taken.

Watch www.kansascitykansan.com or the print edition of the Kansas City Kansan for more information.