Vancouver police investigating if 33-year-old missing person case is solved in Amsterdam
An unidentified man in a Dutch care home who suffered a stroke in 2023 may be John Russell Kenny, who vanished from Vancouver in 1993.
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Vancouver police are actively collaborating with Netherlands police and Interpol to determine whether an unidentified man living in a Dutch care home is John Russell Kenny, who went missing from Vancouver 33 years ago.
In May 2023, an unknown man suffered a stroke on the streets of Amsterdam and collapsed. He was admitted to hospital with severe aphasia—unable to speak beyond the words "nonsense" and "definitely." He had no ID, no bank cards, or any documentation. For more than three years, he has remained in a long-term care home outside Amsterdam, his identity a mystery.
Locally, he became known only as "Lucky" in the Buddhist community he frequented. At nearby markets and restaurants, he was called by several other names: Louis, Lee, Ponytail, Sonny, and Chris the Canadian.
John Russell Kenny was 34 when his family reported him missing in 1993. According to Vancouver Police's missing person cold file, he "suffered from mental health issues and was transient in nature." He would be 67 today.
Dutch police posted a video on social media earlier this week, and the post went viral after people commented on the striking resemblance between the man and Kenny. Anton van Straten, who posted side-by-side videos, told Dutch media he was struck by the likeness and contacted Vancouver police.
"The missing persons department of the Vancouver police just contacted me," van Straten told RTL news. "They are taking my tip very seriously and have since contacted the police in Amsterdam to investigate the possible match further."
The Vancouver Police Department issued a statement on Wednesday: "The Vancouver Police missing person unit is actively collaborating with Netherlands police and Interpol to determine whether John Russell Kenny and the individual known as 'Lucky' in the Netherlands are the same person. The investigation remains ongoing, and if a positive identification is made, we will provide an update as soon as appropriate."
It is not yet clear whether DNA testing against missing persons databases has been conducted or whether Kenny's family has contributed their own DNA as a baseline for comparison.
The facts
Who is John Russell Kenny?
John Russell Kenny was 34 years old when his family reported him missing from Vancouver in 1993. According to Vancouver Police's cold file, he suffered from mental health issues and was transient in nature.
When did the unidentified man in Amsterdam suffer a stroke?
An unknown man suffered a stroke on the streets of Amsterdam in May 2023 and was admitted to hospital with severe aphasia.
What sparked the investigation into whether the man in Amsterdam is John Russell Kenny?
Dutch police posted a video on social media earlier in the week of August 19, 2026, which went viral after people commented on the striking resemblance between the unidentified man and Kenny. Anton van Straten posted side-by-side videos and contacted Vancouver police about the possible match.
