What was it like to wake up remembering nothing? Were you panicked or upset when you woke up?
No, I was just in a daze.
What abilties have you discovered In the last couple of years?Like play the piano or repairing cars.
Working in restaurants, and repairing restaurant equipment.
Ha, I meant stuff you probably learned before your memory loss and you rediscoverd recently.
I know. I knew how to do that before.
What caused the onset if the amnesia? Was it trauma, an accident, etc? How do you function in our society without an identity so to speak?
Don't know. Authorities seem to think it was the accident.
If you remember, may I ask what happened? Where you in an accident of some sort?
Yes. Description now includes it.
So Benjaman what are you doing now?
Can you finally get some books from the library? If so what are some good books that have helped you pass the time?
I have a library card now, and a state ID card. I like science fiction.
Check out Ray Bradbury's Martian Chronicles if you haven't already. He's also got another collection book that includes The Illustrated Man.
I've read both of those, don't remember much about them, but I think I've read just about everything Ray Bradbury ever wrote.
What do you know? And how has no one stepped forward to identify you? Has this bothered you at all?
I don't know how nobody has stepped forward and identified me. I suspect the media has overrated themselves in how they think they reach all the people in the united states.
Were there other things you forgot besides your identity that you had to relearn?
I'm not sure I had to re learn anything. It seems like whenever i need to do something, if i've done it before, I remember. When I got in a car I knew how to drive a car.
I'm not sure I had to re learn anything. It seems like whenever i need to do something, if i've done it before, I remember. When I got in a car I knew how to drive a car.
I had a dream where I repaired a restaurant stove. And remembered how to do it.
Any books or shows you recall after seeing them again?
leave it to beaver, ozzy and harriet, bonanza, star trek the original
leave it to beaver, ozzy and harriet, bonanza, star trek the original
I never saw any of the series with the bald guy until recently
For memories: http://www.findingbenjaman.com/updates/
Has anyone doing the investigation tried to focus on Indianapolis and Denver? Because it seems that most of your memories are focused around those areas.
Yes, but nothing positive has come up.
Yes, but nothing positive has come up.
The focus has been hit and miss
Signed the position and pimped it out on fb. You're welcome!
Do you think about who you might be every day?
Yeah I do. Thank you
Do you ever have nagging feelings about specific places/things that are just on the tip of your memory, but you can't quite place it?
Yes all the time.
What are your life goals - career, family, etc?
Oh long term, I'm planning on dying. Hell, I'm 64. I plan on working until im dying. There will be no retirement or credit.
How do you know how old you are?
I was born ten years before Michael Jackson. I remember that distinctly.
Are you taking steps to find your identity? Do you have any family members you know of?
No family members. The petition is the step, and hell, I wouldn't be on reddit if I weren't taking any steps.
Have you ever been contacted by someone claiming to be from your past? How did you handle that.
If not, what precautions will you take when someone does eventually come forward claiming to know you to be sure you are not being taken advantage of?
Three or four people, after long conversations, they decided they were misled.I couldn't remember them either
How upset does it make you that you can't connect with your past life at all? Are you upset that no one has tried to look for you?
Thanks for the AMA, your story has always amazed me!
I don't know. Puzzled I guess. Mostly I stay so busy that I don't think about it. Because I still have to get on with living.
Have you ever started reading a book a realize that you have read it before?
Also - are you a cat or dog kinda guy?
Oh sure. I've actually been reading some of the science fiction books I know I've read so that I can remember where I read them at.
Cat. But I like dogs too.
Interesting! Do perfumes/colognes/certain foods do the same for you? Smells can take me back to very specific moments I had forgotten about sometimes.
I don't seem to have a great sense of smell, but every once in a while, going in the bakery something will hit me. But it doesn't bring back memories, no. But when I do smell something great, it's an awesome thing, because I don't too often smell stuff.
Do you still have hope that you will find your original identity? Are there any not yet exhausted search strategies? If so, what?
I think if anything's found out now, it'll be a stroke of luck.
Have you had any sort of flashbacks or deja vu about things or events that you feel may have had happened or be connected to prior to the start of your memory loss?
Yeah, one major one, the dream about how to repair a restaurant stove. and then I put it to good use the next day. And that's the first time I've had a dream that seems to be relevant to anything.
Have you ever remembered anything that you wish you hadn't?
No
Why is it so hard to get a SSN?
When people find a baby on their doorstep, don't these babies also get a SSN when their parents can not be found?
The presumption is that I already have a number, so social security says I can't have another
This same argument can be said for these babies.
At what age do they draw the line? And how would they even measure that?
I don't know. But they wouldn't have applied for a number if they were planning on abandoning it. With a newborn baby, you still have to apply, it isn't given automatically.
Yeah I know about the likelihood, but I'm just saying there is no proof in either case so they are not consistent in their own logic.
I don't understand how this holds up. How far have you or people on your behalf fought for this in court? I hope this petition works, the denial after all these years is just ridiculous, because there must be ways to solve any scenario that the state is afraid of.
Who would I sue? and who has money for the lawyer? All i know is that they've supposedly contacted the social security administration in washington, and supposedly, they can't do it. And the last time they contacted the regional headquarters in atlanta, they said they were "tired of hearing about this"
they were "tired of hearing about this"
It's their job to deal with this. So as long as they don't fix this, they should be hearing about it. My first idea would be to bother them until they start threatening legal action and then you might be able to get your rights while defending yourself with a lawyer appointed to you. It could get the media attention back on track and help you with the needed petition signatures....
Then again making enemies is also taking risks and probably not the best idea in many ways. I'm not pretending I have an easy answer here, whereas you've been dealing with this for 8 years now. Tomorrow I will go to work and forget about this and you still have this situation.
Can you actually go to jail without a SSN? And how would they deal with you there?
You cannot work without a SSN. I do not know if you can go to jail for not having one. The problem is that everything you do in the US is keyed to having a SSN. You cannot vote, rent an apartment or open any kind of bank account without one.
Do you have any skills or knowledge that you can not explain?
EDIT: Also, Do you have any unusual food (or other) preferences or recognitions?
Answered this a little earlier. I know a lot of repair work on restaurants.
Are you a time traveller?
Everyone is a time traveler. They're born, they live, and they die.
What would you do if you suddenly remembered your previous life and you found out that you gave yourself amnesia on purpose?
And would you rather fight 100 duck sized horses or one horse sized duck?
I don't play the what if games. They can drive you crazy.
One horse sized duck.
I don't play the what if games. They can drive you crazy.
One horse sized duck.
But if I had a horse sized duck I'd sell it.
Everybody needs to sign the petition to help this man out !
Thank you
Your Welcome :). I posted it on my Facebook as well. I am sorry to hear about your situation. I used to live in Jacksonville myself but now live in NYC. How do you like reddit so far? Is there an address where I can send you something ?
Edit: You're
I have a friend who has taken me by the hand and is showing me how Reddit works. I find that it is interesting but probably would not have done it without his urging.
I have a friend who has taken me by the hand and is showing me how Reddit works. I find that it is interesting but probably would not have done it without his urging.
While that's certainly possible, you would think that someone would have been able to recognize him and call him out on it by now.
What fame? I'm not getting rich.
Would you say you have more help or support than other homeless people though? Maybe you are not monetarily being compensated, but by just having the exposure its more likely that people will reach out and help you. There is also just the popularity aspect of it all. I'm sure plenty of people would love to be on television or have documentaries made about themselves for the simple reason that being a homeless man that people know about is preferable to being a homeless man that nobody does.
I actually have less support than most homeless people because the shelters will not have anything to do with you unless you give them a SSN.
Did anyone try to take advantage of you being in this state? Something along the lines of "hey you owed me $50 bucks, I'm your best friend"?
No.
what would you do if they recovered your previous identity? Would you work at reassembling your pre-accident life or continue life as Benjamin Kyle?
A little bit of both, I'd have to merge both lives.
I would like to remind everyone to upvote this post so that more people may see it! Get the word out about the petition that is up, and share the short documentary!
thanks
I believe peoples personalities are somewhat shaped by their past experiences. Developing aversions to certain activities or types of people and building a demeanor off of previous encounters and interactions, as well as a moral subset.
To give an example, when I was a kid I had a swarm of Termites fly through my family's apartment, which now causes me to despise flying bugs.
So my question is: If you were to self examine your current personality traits, what elements in specific could be traced back to possible events in your past?
of course, all I am now has got to be based on where I was in the past. I hate talking on telephones. I think that's because when I grew up they were a luxury, and kids weren't allowed to use them. Maybe I was punished for using one.
Its intensely interesting that you still hold those kinds of elements after losing so much. Its like an essence of your past is still with you. From that perspective I would think trying to remember your actual past from details like that is to try and see through thick smoke.
You must be a carpenter- you hit that nail squarely on the head.
1) Where in Florida? Was this also where you woke up? 2) Do you remember any other languages? 3) Did you check with the VA? You may have served in the military.
What if you are not supposed to find your true identity? Maybe you are part of a special witness protection program.
1) I'm in jacksonville. I woke up in richmond hill, Georgia. 2) no 3) that's been checked
the witness protection program has been checked
Sorry, I should have read the Wikipedia article first. One thing it doesn't mention is drug or alcohol use. Do you have any characteristic of past addictions? Also, the article mentions that you were not in the best of health prior to the accident. How bad was your health? Could you have been homeless?
One of the initial reports said that my lab results were surprisingly normal, indicating that I was in good health considering that I was just a homeless bum. No characteristics of past addictions.
Do you worry at all that you might find out about yourself, and you don't like what you learn? Like, oh, what if there were warrants out for your arrest or some such thing.
If there were warrants out for my arrest, they would have found out through fingerprints.
If there were warrants out for my arrest, they would have found out through fingerprints.
You know what, there probably would be something I don't like because everyone's done something they don't like. At least if you're old enough. But no, but I'm not a criminal type
when do u celebrate birthdays?
August 29th. But I don't celebrate birthdays
What is the significance of August 29th? Is that the date you were found?
It is my and Michael Jackson's birthday.
Do you still live in Savannah? It's a very iconic town, are there parts of the town that you remember that have now changed? Such as the norther part of the town being very rough and now it's very nice?
No, I'm in Jacksonville
So I suppose you dont remember any "real" people at all? Even vague memories of people you've met?
No
No finger prints,dental records,no old High school friends, or family. That is crazy, Do you have full memory now of your day to day activities? Like can you remember what you just did or do you forget a lot?
I do forget a lot.
Do you feel that what the government has done (or lack of) is an injustice for someone with a case like yours?
I think the government is worried that if they make an exception in my case, there will be a lot of people who come forward and try to take advantage of it
Did the person or people who did this to you ever get caught?
No
No
An investigation wasn't opened until three years later, 2007
Do you ever see something in particular that feels very familiar or significant? Have you been back to Indianapolis? Maybe just walked around or something?
I'd like to go back and just walk around, other than just looking around on the internet. Dr Phil talked about doing it, but they never did
Have any neurologists or similar scientists studied you? EDIT: If so, what did they figure?
Dr King, the neurologist hired with the dr phil show, came to the conclusion that it was a disassociative fugue
I just wanted to inform you that your story reached another continent. I think a few days ago I saw it on local television. I'm located in Austria, Europe. My only question I have: If you have/had a wife, would you still love her, or would the amnesia "erase" feeling aswell? (sorry for this question, but it frightens me to know that this may be possible).
I don't know the answer to that.
Okay. Thank you for taking the time to answer my question. I'll spread the word. Good luck, best wishes and hugs go out to you.
Thanks.
I don't know how to ask this tactfully, but I'll try.
The fact that you were homeless and hopeless, but seem not to have resorted to drug use blows my mind. I know that a lot of people who hit rock bottom try to drown their misery and escape reality as much as possible.
Thank you so much for sharing your story!
Taking hardcore drugs and becoming an addict scares the hell out of me. Because the drugs would be controlling your life. And I would read.
I don't know how to ask this tactfully, but I'll try.
The fact that you were homeless and hopeless, but seem not to have resorted to drug use blows my mind. I know that a lot of people who hit rock bottom try to drown their misery and escape reality as much as possible.
Thank you so much for sharing your story!
Taking hardcore drugs and becoming an addict scares the hell out of me. Because the drugs would be controlling your life. And I would read.
Get Spielberg. We're making a fucking movie.
I have the next Spielberg, John, the director of the documentary.
Your* wiki says your first name really is Benjaman. When did you remember it?
I don't know, I just did when I woke up. I think that's the first thing they asked me
Do you remember it spelled as Benjaman or did you pick the spelling?
No, I remembered it spelled as Benjaman.
No, I remembered it spelled as Benjaman.
And there are other people with that spelling.
Great work on getting your story out there! I hope all is well and you get your identity back. Keep your spirits high and never get discouraged. To be honest, I find you a great inspiration just seeing you try this hard. Signed the petition and am passing it on to everyone i know, as well as this thread and your videos. God bless you man!
thanks
Did you forget what kinds of food you liked or how things tasted?
Do you remember any famous people or people you knew before the accident?
Do you think the accident could have changed your personality at all?
Someone asked me the presidents, and I got all of the 20th century ones right. That was one of the tests from the doctors
It feels a bit unsympathetic asking these personal questions but I am quite intrigued by the story. So I hope it's OK. What do you believe happened in your past? A few people seem to come to the conclusion that you were homeless. What do you say to this assertion? Do you believe you have family somewhere out there?
You know, at 64, they may be dead.
Have you ever walked around an area and felt that it was vaguely familiar?
No, I would like to. That's I'd like to go to indianapolis or denver
Have you considered applying for citizenship in other (english speaking) countries? I can't think of one right off the bat, but there must be countries that are less strict with their citizenship applications?
No, I'm an American and I'm staying an American.
Signed your petition, good luck to you. Are you a generally happy person, or does the mystery surrounding your life really weight you down?
I guess I would say I'm generally happy but I get depressed sometimes.
[deleted]
Thanks.
I know this has been on the internet for quite a while and pops up on reddit every once in a while.
I'm curious, has increased popularity on the internet brought you ANY hunches/clues? is it a matter of not getting anything helpful or not getting anything at all?
No, I think that there are a lot of people in my age group who don't have anything to do with the internet or computers.
How are you competly sure your an american citizen?
I don't speak any other languages, I have a US accent
What was the closest thing to a clue you ever received from an outside source?
I don't think I've ever received anything like a clue
How can non-American residents help? I can't sign the petition because I don't live in the US (don't have a ZIP).
talk to your american friends. what if you sent a letter to the us embassy in the country they live in?
Best of luck to you Ben. I've never heard your story, so maybe someone who really knows who you are hasn't either. Lets hope we can reach them this time!
Thank you.
If a family member/friend that you knew before the incident at BK in 2004 recognized you, what would you do? How would you react?
Also, when you get a new SSN, what are your plans for the future?
Do you ever hope to discover who you were before, or are you content? Why/why not?
If someome came forward, and said they recognized me, and i didnt reemeber them, I would really wonder if it would actually be a memory
Have they tried dental records?
There is no data base of dental records to search.
Hi Benjaman,
I really do hope your story has a good ending, you seem like a wonderful person who deserves significantly better.
Has anyone tried contacting local law enforcement in locations like Boulder or Indianapolis? Or tried something more traditional like posting flyers and putting up posters?
My identifying characteristics have been entered into the National Crime Information System so if somebody missing is listed with a scar such as I have the Georgia Bureau of Investigation will get a notice.
Has anyone yet looked through yearbooks in Indianapolis for you? Just a thought
Yes but I understand they could not find a complete set from all the high schools.
This is probably a tough question, but what motivates you more in getting your story out there. Is it mostly to get a new social security number or to find out about your past?
I know obviously if you found out who you were in the past you would get your old social security number back but would you be happy living the rest of your life with a new social security number and still not knowing who you were?
Yes. Maybe not completely happy, but it would get me out of the limbo I'm in now.
Have you ever played the game Amnesia: The Dark Descent?
Never heard of this game.
I remember reading about you some years ago; sorry to hear your case hasn't made much progress. If you found family, how would you feel about being "reunited" with people who are essentially strangers to you?
I think that it would be a very confusing time.
Why not stop saying "My name is Benjamin Kyle"? Maybe something like "They call me Benjamin Kyle but that is not my real name...."
People expect you to have a name. You cannot start a conversation with everyone that begins with "They call me Benjamin Kyle but that is not my real name...."
If you have memories of those two specific cities, why on earth haven't you gone to them to recover your memories by now? I understand money could be difficult when you can't make any and such... but it really seems like the most logical course of action. To go where your memories indicate.
up until very recently, i wouldn't have been able to go, because I would need to be driven. To fly you need an ID
[deleted]
I do not play video games. I have no interest in them.
What things do you enjoy?
Reading, watching people.
They really should have made a better investigation in the area where you were find and with the things that were with you. Your clothes could tell something. If its a specific enough brand that doesnt sell in thousands of places and etc. Isnt it possible to search for all benjamans born the year ten years after Michael Jackson was born? Hell, lets think some good ideas guys!! Try to reach everyone that was on that BK that day! Didnt they have camera? It`s so weird no one saw him minutes before the accident.
I am 64, I was born ten years before Michael Jackson. I have been told that the SS administration records are not searchable that way.
Do you have any idea where you attended schooling?
I believe that I was raised as a catholic. I have been on the website for the Catholic schools in Indianapolis and did not recognize them, but they would have changed a lot in the intervening 50 years.
I read that you went under the pseudonym bk and then Benjamin Kyle, do you think this is your real name or just circumstancial. And if you were robbed and beaten did you drive there? Were your keys and car stolen?
Benjaman is my name. I picked Kyle because the hospital insisted that they have a last name from me. I was found in 2004. No investigation was started until 2007.
I read that you went under the pseudonym bk and then Benjamin Kyle, do you think this is your real name or just circumstancial. And if you were robbed and beaten did you drive there? Were your keys and car stolen?
Benjaman is my name. I picked Kyle because the hospital insisted that they have a last name from me. I was found in 2004. No investigation was started until 2007.
Did they check any other records from different countries?
Do you know your exact age?
If it were organized crime, I'd assume that they would kill you instead of erasing your memory. So, I'd go with the government on this one.
Do you know your ethnicity or which country you're from?
Thank you.
Queries have sent to Canada and Interpol and they have come back negative.
Did they check any other records from different countries?
Do you know your exact age?
If it were organized crime, I'd assume that they would kill you instead of erasing your memory. So, I'd go with the government on this one.
Do you know your ethnicity or which country you're from?
Thank you.
I am 64.
I am white, Caucasian. Linguist's have determined that my accent is from the Midwest, USA.
Have you considered hypnosis?
Yes and no usable results.
I have to go, but I will try to get back when I have a good connection and the time.
Do you ever fear that someone will fictitiously claim to know you only to benefit themselves?
out of 300 million people in the US I am sure some of them would try to claim they know me out of personal gain.
Floridian here. What made you move there?
To work with the producer of the documentary posted at <FindingBenjaman.com>
Dad?
Yes, what do you want son? LOL
There is so much on Ben's Wiki-
Does anyone have a LexisNexis account? We can at least try...
no one that I Know.
Someone who has any connections at the University at Colorado Boulder needs to help out, because you're not allowed in the library without a form of identification and if you run his name, something should come up because that is not a common spelling.
That has been done with no hits.
There should be a movie made on his story !
See the documentary at Finding Benjaman.com
Have you seen the movie Who am I with Jackie Chan, and say "I know exactly how he feels".
I like Jackie Chan but have not seen all ofhis movies
Are you who the show Kyle XY is based on?
I have seen the 1st season of that show and wish I could have seen the others. I do not think that my story has any relationship to that of the protaganist in KyleXY
By any chance do you ha e foot long metal claws made of bone and meteorite metal infused in your hand and arm
I think that would come in handy sometimes.
[deleted]
I do not know but we have determined it was in 1976 that I was there.
Holy shit dude! Man, after watching the video, i was floored. if there is an possible chance, i have high hopes the sleuths of reddit can help. Keeping my fingers crossed for you.
Thank you.
Do you know kung-fu?
no
I don't know about the full story but what about it burger king records? If you made a purchase with a card. The people could be narrowed down based on future account activity. Also what were you wearing? Some things could be regional specific. Are you certain that you are from America? Has the story been posted all over where you were found? Someone coming forward would have been nice.
There has been several regional articles printed accross the country but other than the DR.Phil Show none of the national medis has been interested.
Has anyone considered -Amish? He could have left or been kicked out. Ya know the show. Breaking Amish. I could be totally wrong though, who knows (I just know that I watch too much TV). It would explain why no one would be able to find him via the media, why he hates the phone, affinity for reading (but not the science fiction kind I suppose). The Amish also do not vaccinate nor do they allow their photos to be taken (for ID). It would also explain why no dental or doctors records could be used to identify him (as seen in Bone's "The Plain in the Prodigy").
Edit: I lied. I just did some quick internet searches and that the Amish do, in fact, have SSNs but I believe it might be a more recent development. However, the sources I am finding are sort of mixed up about it. Perhaps a resourceful redditor can help me out? There really isn't any good information out there. I also know that children born in cults sometimes do not have an SSN but that's just something I picked up from the Castle episode "Swan Song".
Edit 2: Mr. Kyle, while you discounted being able to speak or read other languages, have you tried to read or understand German? This could nip my theory pretty quick.
---scratch my theory. its bogus. he sounds a lot like my ex's father. they were from Indiana.
Thats interesting-there is a huge amish population in Indiana
You should watch the majestic. It is a movie with a situation similar to yours. May jog some memories, hell maybe you've seen it.
I did see it and I liked thar movie because movie theater(buildings) fascinate me.
Was Kyle XY about you? :0
EDIT: do you have a belly button?
Yes In have one. LOL
You seem like a genuinely nice fellow. I bet you were a nice guy before you lost your memory, or an assassin, which would be bad ass. I really hope that you regain your past and find out you have a hot wife and are in fact a billionaire cowboy.
A police officer in Georgia once suggested, in jest, that since they cannot find me in the records, that I was never a criminal or that I was just so good at it I never was caught.
I can't believe the cops can't just search through all the missing persons driver's license photo IDs for a match near where he was dumped in Richmond Hill, GA. Don't they have facial recognition programs that can match him?? How is this man's face not in their database? Are there no banks near Richmond Hill, GA wondering why someone is simply refusing to pay their bills with absolutely no contact whatsoever for years?
Facial recognition software for drivers license pictures are done by the states and each states software programmes do not match up with the other states.
How did you find out about Reddit?
The documentary producer took me by the hand and taught me how Reddit works. I would never have done it on my own. I am not a Luddite, but I do have to be force fed technology sometime.LOL
Could dental records be accessed? Have they taken impressions or anything to try and match something? I am going to sign your petition! Good luck!
no databases for dental records exist.
are you generally happy or sad? (this may be due to your amnesia or not)
sad sometimes, happy sometimes and sometimes just blah.
It would be crazy if you turned out to be some sort of deep cover black ops agent, like Jason Bourne, and that is the reason that you dont exist in any of the government data base's.
I know it is a ludicrous idea, and may even be in bad taste to ask, but have you ever toyed with those types of idea's?
I try not to play the "what if" game. it is too frustrating and I think it may be unhealthy.
With all of the hype this is getting, where are the friends/family who know who you are?
I think that all this HYPE is not so important to most people.
When you went to the hospital after being found, who paid for the bill? Also if you were stuck with the bill, are you still paying it off now?
As a Canadian I worry of this all the time traveling across the boarder into North Dakota.
I wish you luck in life BK.
The hospitals absorbed the bill. I think that is why the hospitals were so rude to me. They knew they were not getting paid so they only went through the motions of supplying treatment.
[deleted]
Sold to the highest bidder!
Did you remember how to ride a bicycle when you awoke?
I am not sure I ever rode a bike before. I had to teach myself.
have you contacted nicholas cage? he could be your long lost brother....
I do not think we look anything alike.
[deleted]
I think that our collective leg is being pulled but I am going to send the name to the DNA expert who is helping with that part of my search.
I know this is going to sound crazy. In Canada, there is a LEGAL herb/drug called Salvia. I don't know if it is legal in the US. They did a lot of experimentation with it with Alzheimer's patients, and it helped them remember things that were lost to them. This may work in your case. I would of course, consult a doctor before using, just in case it exacerbates any condition you may have. I don't care if I get downvoted for this; I am just trying to help.
I thought Salvia was sugar substitute.
Have you tried taking psychedelic mushrooms to help you with your memory?
I would never try them.
did you ever have your finger prints checked?
About 10 times 7 of those searches by the FBI
Have you ever heard of the malaria medication Lariam? I remember listening to a This American Life episode and a whole act was dedicated to an amnesiac who woke up with no memory of who he was in India.
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/399/contents-unknown I recommend trying to get in contact with Ira Glass or someone from This American Life. It could get you more exposure and I think it could make for a very interesting segment.
The best of luck to you. I would sign the petition if I could, but alas I live in Canada.
we tried they weren't interested
If you were alone with the man/woman that did this to you, what would you do to them?
Feel sorrybecause they would have no friends.
When someone figures out who you are, you have to promise to come back and tell us all about it, or post it on findingbenjaman.com :)
considered it promised
Did you have to "prove" the credibility of your condition?
I feel that some people expect me to
Do you ever have issues responding when people call you Benjamin or Ben? Does it takes a couple seconds to realize that that is you?
a lot of people call me "Ben" but I prefer Benjaman
Have you ever considered...that maybe your previous life was really shitty and that you were really unhappy and now you're set free?
Maybe you need to stop focusing on trying to remember who you were, if you spent so much time so far and have not found the answer...and instead focus on who you are now.
That is what I try to do and that is what I HAVE TRIED TO DO SINCE i WAS FOUND IN 2004
I like cats as much as the next redditor, but I find it sad to see that THEY can get to the front page easier then a man desperately searching for his identity.
People trust cats more than they do their fellow humans. I think that says a lot about the human race!
I remember the best salad bar in Denver was Azar's resturants and them having the worst service.
Wow, that had to be some shitty service. I have this image of you telling the manager ages ago "There is no amount of trauma, that will ever let me forget these empty glasses of water". They should really buck up and send you some rolls. For life.
They are a defunct chain. Out of business-I think that proves I was right about their service.
Have you seen the Jason Bourne trilogy?
not all three movies and i only just recently watched them.
I know I'm way late and this probably won't get answered, but I have a few questions:
1) Do you remember other events from the past not about you personally, like famous world events or celebrities? (You mentioned Michael Jackson) or was your entire memory wiped out?
2) Did you lose any functional abilities like speaking english or driving cars/riding bikes, etc.?
3) Do any specific things trigger familiar feelings for you? For example do you hear any songs that you think may have meant something to you, or are there any sports teams that you remember cheering for or something along those lines?
I recognise songs that I have heard in the past.
OP will surely deliver.
WalMart is selling OP clothes now.
You actually look a bit like Dr. Phil. Do you think he/you might have interviewed himself/yourself in 2008? Maybe he is your father? Your son? TWIN BROTHER?!
Other people have said that.
Who are you?
I am me. I exist.
I'm a bit late to the party, but I read as many comments as I could of yours and might have missed some answers, so I'll give it a go and ask:
You talk about being in a kitchen and restaurant (or) appliance repair- You feel or at least acknowledge that you've worked in the restaurant business.. do you think it was real restaurants, or fast food , or maintenance and repair?
I guess what I am really asking is, do you feel that you are of a Chef quality food creativity and have a sense of experience with cooking, or a better knowledge of fast food specs?
Do you feel more acquainted with kitchen repair than kitchen cooking? If so, in your search for an identity have you checked with the local repair/machinist unions in the areas mentioned above that you do vaguely recall? Tried reaching out to fast food places like BK, McDonalds, et al to see if you are on file?
No , I am not a trained chef. I have no doubt that I have worked the line at some point and also managed a restaurant. I am also familiar with much of the equipment and the uses and repair of the equipment.
What information have you found on your potential sur name being "Powell" and what information did you get from Round The Corner ("RTC") in boulder,co?
Round the corner restaurants are gone.. The Powell DNA search is ongoing.
If you found in your previous life you were a criminal, and just for fun lets say not a cool one, like if you found your old identity in the sex offenders registry? Would yoy acknowledge your old identity qnd reassume itvor would you move on as benjaman? Also, how did you decide on your name?
The sex offenders list have been searched via fingerprints and the results were negative.
You seem like a very very nice man. I've signed your petition, shared it on facebook, twitter, and tumblr and I hope you get all the answers you're looking for.
Thank you.
I still think you look a lot like my uncle Rodney. I haven't seen him since 95, and can't seem to find him. (Lost ties with him when my dad died).
Where are you located?
I mentioned this in another thread that was posted on here in the Today I Learned section, but I'll post it here.
With the proposed memories that you have one would assume you lived in Colorado, Indiana, and Georgia. We know your assumed name is Benjaman as that's the name you said you remembered when you first came to. So we have three states, one name and you say you share a birthday with Michael Jackson, only 10 years his senior.
What confuses me the most is that there hasn't been anyone suggesting a drivers license search of those three states, of men named Benjaman (all spellings) of your suspected age. To me it seems as though the people attempting to help you, are just using the media for exposure regardless of their intentions.
The question I guess I'm asking is, has that most obvious option been explored to it's fullest? Personally, had I lost my memory I would have skipped the Dr's and asked for donations for a private investigator to search through 3 states worth of Benjamans with my believed birth date. Also, I signed the petition.
That search has been done in both Colorado and Indiana with no results.
Are you completely sure your name is Benjaman? or is it just a hunch?
I am sure.
I'm very intrigued by this, but I have a few questions:
How is it that with all the forensic science we have nowadays (finger prints, hair fibers, facial recognition), they could find absolutely nothing on you?
If there was actually a full FBI investigation into your identity and they failed so badly that they couldn't find out who you were, why is giving you a new SSN even an issue? You're being investigated on a federal level and nobody will even give you the right to a social security number? That part seems strange to me.
I'm not expecting a response for this, but if anybody knows the answers to these questions (or at least speculations) they would be most greatly appreciated.
On tv where they show getting DNA results in seconds is False. It took a couple of months to get my DNA entered into the system and several months to see if they could find any DNA matches. I am still in the systemand if a match should ever show up from the neww entries it will appear. I am told that there is more than a two year backlog of DNA samples waiting to be entered into the system.
We should turn this guy into a meme,that way a lot of people could see his face
What is a Meme?
I am just going to throw this out there. It probably wouldnt be very hard to do a search for residents around the Interstate 95 and Highway 17 in Richmond area, and see if any residents there stopped paying rent or was evicted. Or something of that nature, you could also find some restaurants around that area. Assuming where he was found was not far from home, it would be a very small area to check, you could also check to see if there was any stolen or unused cars found in this area at that time that was impounded, and they would have the names of those owners by the VIN number? Thoughts?
It was 3 yrs before anyone looked into my case. All of those records were gone. For instance the motel security records are only kept for a month. and the same with belonging left in Motel rooms.
Have you involved Canadian authorities? Interpol? Maybe you were in America as a tourist?
Both have been checked and and no results.
I just saw this story on here not too long ago in TIL. Insane, man. Best of luck building a new life.
curious What is TIL?
What was your favorite movie growing up?
Walt Disney films
No one that knew you before 2004 has recognized you?
No one
It says in Wikipedia that you remember growing up in Indianapolis and that you attended Catholic school as a child. There can't have been that many Catholic schools in Indianapolis between 1954 and 1963, and they're bound to have records. My best advice is to contact the Catholic church in Indianapolis and ask them for help.
Old parishes have closed and new ones opened up. The same with schools and not all of the schools and churches have posted pictures on the catholic website.
John Wikstrom, director of the doc here. Agreed. He's funny as hell too. SIGN THE PETITION
You are making me turn red.
Dude, you look like Nicolas Cage.
I do not see the resemblance.
at least you woke up knowing what reddit is.
I was taught just today(now yesterday) about Reddit.
Silly Dad, you're name isn't Benjamin! I was wondering why you never came back with those whoppers...
Well, son, you eat too much fast food. You are blimping up.LOL
I am losing my WI-FI connection and have to work in the morning. And so to bed...................
Have you tried hypnosis?
YES
I had a good question, but I forgot it.
HAPPens to me all the time.
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The estimates by the doctors is between the mid fifties and late sixties. They cannot pinpoint any closer.
Have the police checked the missing persons datato see if there has been a report of a missing man with your appearance and date of birth?
Yes, Date of birth is: 08 /29/48
Is there anything we can do to help?
Sign he Petition at <FindingBenjaman.com>
Have you tried taking lsd or magic mushrooms.. they might get you to that next level..
I would never do hallucinogens.
What I don't understand is why they haven't taken some sort of DNA test. If they have and it came back inconclusive then someone screwed up during the test.
DNA has been done. I am in the federal database and two private ones-Family Tree and 23andme.
Have they tried the Canadian databases? If he was a food service industry rep, he could have been in town for a business trip or industry convention.
Canada and Interpol.
Mr Kyle, I wish you the best of luck,
Thank you.
I would just like to let it be known that I logged into Reddit this morning intending to post an AMA request for Benjaman Kyle, and this was the first post I saw. Well played, Mr. Kyle.
Thank the doc maker -He insisted I do it.
Did you have to re-learn how to speak?
No
How do you deal with the inevitable accusations that you're faking? (Not that I myself think you are.)
There are more than 7 billion people on this earth. Most have never heard of me and of the ones that have heard of me there are bound to be some who are not going to believe me. I don't let it worry me. The people that are most familiar with me and my friends believe, so that is enough. Like everything else in this world you are going to have to decide for yourselves where the truth lies.
Wikipedia mentions one of the attempts to identify you was "Facial recognition comparison by the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles with individuals who have obtained an Indiana driver's license since 1998". Has there been any equivalent attempt with Colorado or Georgia databases?
Facial recognition searches have to be done on a state by state basis. Indiana only started putting pictures on drivers liscense in the mid nineties. So if I had an Indiana license it was probably before then. COlorado and GEorgia came up negative.
If this blows up in popularity maybe Oprah or Ellen (Ellen only because she is all over internet trends) would have you on the show. I have never heard your story, maybe it's time to televise it again. You never know!
Oprah was not interested and Ellen never replied.
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Most of the local news stories have said to contact the FBI
Who are you?
I think, therefore I am. Benjaman Kyle
Sorry but the conspiracy theorist in me has to ask: Do you think maybe the FBI discovered you, but found that you had a criminal past and now that you have no recollection of anything; they may be just letting you live your life as good or bad as it may be?
If the FBI had found a criminal past they would prosecute no matter what.
Do you realize you have two first names now? That might be your first step.
There are lots of people with the last name of Kyle
Serious question here. Do you have any memories of the time you were missing? Do you believe in UFOs or the possibility of extraterrestrial abduction?
no
I lent you $2500 in 2003. Message me for payment info. Thanks buddy.
Can you post prof of the debt?
Are you related to Selena Kyle?
I chose the last name Kyle because the hospital insisted they had to have a last name. They were calling me BK Unknown so I picked KYle because it was the only name I could think of that began with a K.
For those of you who wnt more pictures go to: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Benjaman-Kyle-The-BK-Doe-Help-Solve-this-Real-Life-Mystery/136039394171?ref=ts&fref=ts
Are you telling me you don't remember 9/11?! You were supposed to never forget!
I never saw the video of the planes hitting the WTC until last year, but I remember reading about it in the USA Today. I am glad that we finally got the SOB bin ladan.
Can you describe what it was like when you first "woke up" into your life as Benjaman Kyke? What I mean to say is what were the thoughts and feelings going through your head once you woke up, having no memory of what came before? I imagine it might be like awakening from a dream not being able to remember no matter how hard you try.
When I was found I was functionally blind. After surgery and I could see myself in the mirror I was SHOCKED at how old I looked.
Waffles or pancake?
Pancakes I do not like waffles P.S. Eggo's are just nasty. LOL
To all the posters who say I owe them money- please send proof and the name of the person who you say I was. LOL
Did anyone ever try to deport you?
Not yet, but the IRS said that if I claimed to be an illegal alien, then they could help me. That's when they would deport me.
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I don't see the resemblance But can you E-mail the source of the picture to FindingBenjaman@Gmail.com.
To the posters who posted about GLENN WARREN PENNIE. He has been listed on the the FBI website. If the FBI had thought there was any possibility of a match they would have contacted me.
Please Benjaman can you answer some of the more serious questions?
People are willing to fly you where you want
People believe they've seen you in some waffledhouse
People suggesting you might be Glenn Pennie etc etc
Are you even trying to fix this? or does it feel good that people ask you questions all of a sudden?
We're here to help you so start being serious or the world will forget you forever.
Peace
I am willing to fly to Denver if arrangements can be made with my job. Can you E-mail me at FindingBenjaman@GMail.com?
I do not think that I worked at Waffle house especially in Atlanta. When I was in Atlanta two years ago and when Dr.Phil took me there I did not recognise anything.
GLENN WARREN PENNIE is listed on the FBI website and if they thought there was a possibility of a match they would have contacted me.
Please be aware that I do want to fix this but I also have a full time job in which people depend on me. I cannot take the time to go find a WI-Fi and respond to everything that is posted.
Allright, even tho the questions might look stupid to you theres alot of people who gets frustrated when you're answering pancake-questions instead... now we know
I'm sure the pilot who replied in this thread will send you an email...
And, If you ever read this, Good Luck!
Sorry about the "English", ignorant unemloyed swede here....
Maybe you are right about the "pancake" questions. Obviously some of the posters are just having some fun and I see no reason why I cannot have a little fun with them. I have answered a lot of questions, but some of these questions are getting posted again and again. Do expect me to sit here 24 Hrs a day and answer the same questions over and over again.
Holy shit you look like this guy but older....
http://www.missing-u.ca/MPDetail.aspx?PersonID=2105
I don't think that he looks like me. I have a hard time being objective enough to be able to decide whether someone lokks like me or not.
Do you ever wonder if it's actually in your best interest to even find out? The last thing that happened to your previous identity was a violent assault. Who knows what you used to be involved in and maybe you're getting away with murder b/c of your amnesia.
It is in my best interest to find out my past. Sooner or later I am going to be unable to work and then what? I have made some tentative plans for that eventuality.
A reader just emailed me and suggested that we ask google to feature his face for a week. Which got me thinking, What if high traffic search engines (Google, Bing) showed a missing person one day a week. (Wednesday?) I like my pretty Bing backgrounds and google doodles as much as anyone else, but as uncle Ben once said, with great web traffic comes great responsibility...
I think that this is a great idea. Remember the milk cartons? This can be the milk carton for the electronic age.
Were there any clues with you that might have helped determine your identity? Like a ring, necklace, reciept, etc.
Also, couldn't someone just put out a missing persons report if they wanted to find you?
No clues, Someone once told us that some clothes were seen in the dumpster but the never pulled them out to look at them. That person is now denying that anything of the sort was ever said.
Did this AMA give you new hope to find your identity? And second, what kind of person do you think you were?
I think that I am the same person that I always was. I do not believe that my basic moral structure has changed.
Have you read this? Look at the yearbook pictures! http://identifinders.wordpress.com/2011/01/20/indianapolis-birth-announcements-august-30-1948/
I have seen these over two years ago and I do not now or did then think that they look like me.
What I'm confused about as that none of the major efforts to find his identity has been successful....fingerprints, facial recognition, all the technology certain agencies have available, how can NONE of them work? This is a damn good mystery case If I've ever read one..
There are too many TV shows where they show these technologies working flawlessly and in seconds. That is not true in real life.
did you need to re-learn how to talk, walk read or write?
No, My basic skill set was is intact. Sometimes i don't know I can do something until I try it and then it comes back.
So, I heard about 23AndMe finding a set of second cousins that are collaborating to identify his identity. Why no mention of this?
News to me and I have the 23andme account.
So what you are saying here is that you won't be able to vote in PA in 2016!
I tried to register to vote and was told that I needed rent receipts and or utility bills and a birth certificate to register. All of which I do not have.
Why the fuck didn't he reply to the top questions? Seriously? It's as if he doesn't give a shit about actual tips.
Watch your language!
Did you have a bank account number implanted in your hip?
no
isn't this you? https://www.facebook.com/ilona.johnson.58 Location Augusta,GA right down the road from where you were found.
no
Please if you find out anything, or have any progress. Post back here and start a new iAmA. I really want to know if things work out how you want them to, or if you go a new direction in your life. Where ever your family and friends are, know that I'm sure they would wish you the best if they knew the new lifestyle you had to live. and if reconnecting with them is impossible, that they want you to live to your fullest potential. I sincerely hope things work out for you.
will do
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Fingerprints did not match anything in Canada
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He exists.Like Santa Claus he is in the hearts and souls of some of our fellow humans.
Your story is very touching and I admire that you have such resilience and positive outlook despite your circumstances. That's what makes a truly remarkable person to me. I signed the petition and shared it on facebook. I only wish I had more to offer. Good luck.
Thank you
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I am still learning my way around Reddit. I find the layout confusing.
Did you get to choose the name Benjaman Kyle or was it chosen for you?
I chose the name Kyle.
[deleted]
no and thanks
This might totally get lost in the comments, and as far as I know, I didn't see that it had been tried, but has anyone thought of trying to cross-reference the check-out or borrowing of the magazine he liked to read at the library in Colorado? I know it's probably hundreds of thousands of names, but if you could cross-reference them with yearbooks or similar, maybe we could find a name of a currently "missing person"?
those magazines were bound into books and for reference only.
I started learning about you a few weeks ago when someone posted your info here in a "TIL". I was especially fascinated because I learned that you were possibly genetically linked to the Davidson or Powell bloodline. (I am from the Davidson clan).
It's great that 23andme are working with you. Have you also considered an Isotope Analysis? Supposedly your teeth can tell the story of where you lived http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isotope_analysis , like redditor RyanMockabee alluded to.
For Redditors: Has anyone considered doing an Age Regression photoshop on Mr. Kyle? Something along the lines of a high school yearbook style shot?
I wish you luck, Benjaman Kyle.
Dr Phil had some photos age regressed. I thought they made me look like a corpse.
Could the attackers provide any information if they were tracked down and arrested? Most violent crimes aren't for no reason, they would have known who he is.
An investigation was not started until 3 yrs. later.
Petition has been signed and shared on Facebook. Good luck, Ben!
Thanks.
My last name is Powell, the wiki article says he could be linked to Powell.
The Powell family group (which includes Howell, Dowell, and others)is one of the largest group of names in the USA.
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No. in fact, I feel a lot older.
signed the petition. this might sound like a stupid suggestion, but what about extraterrestrial involvement?
I don't think so, at least I have no antennae.
I know that this might never reach you, but I just wanted to say that I was touched by your story. I signed the petition, but I wish there was more I could do. It's not quite the same, but my grandmother has Parkinson's and severe dementia. She went from a vibrant woman to someone who doesn't even know who she is anymore. It just hit home to think about someone like you who can't remember their families or lives while I watch this woman who raised me look at me like a total stranger. I wish you all the luck in the world and hope that your holidays are wonderful!
Thank you, I am sorry about your grandmother. It scares the hell out of me to think that I might get dementia.
He was hospitalized for a few months, diagnosed schizophrenic and took antipsychotics for a year. Read the Gaurdian UK article.
Also of note is that "Benjamin" is the lost tribe.
I doubt that is a coincidence.
one definition of "Benjaman" is "Beloved son"
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well stated.
Heisenberg?
I have long felt that I am on a long "Drunkards Walk".
Have you tried a hypnotherapist?
Also, do you recall your dreams? If so, are their contents unfamiliar?
I don't seem to dream much. I did have that I have already posted about.
I did that already!
Thanks
Ever see The Bourne Identity?
Just recently I watched the 1st one. I am looking for the other two in the pawn shops.
Have you ever thought about doing something like 23andme? It tries to match you with relatives based on your genetic markers, so it might get you a lot closer than anything else, and it doesn't require you to remember names, dental record info, etc. The testing is a little expensive, but I don't doubt that you could easily find enough people willing to help out with that. Or, heck, the company may be willing to do the testing for free just for the publicity!
I am there. and Family Tree also.
Signed your petition! :) Best of luck!
Thanks
I was so tempted to type "Who are you?"
I wish you luck.
Funny I have been tempted to type "Who ARE you" in my reply to some of these posters.
Thanks for the good wishes.
Have you considered the possiblity that you were a part of the witness protection program? That would explaiin the lack if evidence to support your former identity.
I am told that the Marshall's Service has made inquiries with negative results.
I was just reading about you the other day!
Just wanted to say hello.
Hello
Since you don't remember your past, do you have the mind of a 50+ year old? Most people grow from past experiences, but if you have none, then how do you grow? Do you feel your age?
I have said every since I woke up that my mind was not working right. Last year I had a revelation: It was not that my mind was not working right-it was, for a 64 year man. I just thought of myself as still being in my forties. I don't remember the change. For me it is as if I went from being in my forties to being in my sixties all at once. I think that is when I first started feeling old.
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Benjaman Kyle. But you are right I think that I will always be Benjaman Kyle.
Do you fear death more because you're old and no longer remember having lived a life?
I am beginning to think that death may well be a friend.
Hey, I'm a bit late to the party but I was wondering if anyone on reddit knew a thing or two about identifying Kyle's accent and vernacular. I'm no expert on accents, but surely someone here is. Surely it could help narrow down which part of North America he grew up in.
a Linguist on the Dr. Phil Show said my accent was consistent with someone from Ohio west through Kansas.