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While wandering in California, a man forgets his name and where he came from.  He had no memory of his life.  He woke up with nothing but a duffel bag CASE DETAILS In May of 1992, a man named “Pierre” said he inexplicably found himself along a deserted stretch of California coastline. Feeling weak, hungry, and terribly confused, Pierre spotted a telephone, his first chance to obtain help. Only then, did it dawn on Pierre that he had no one to call:
Alone and distraught, Pierre searched through his belongings. Tucked into one of his shirts was a crumpled piece of paper. It was a library card from the Boston Public Library. Handwritten on the back was the name, “April, Pierre”:
 Pierre’s family found him and sent photos Pierre claimed he was plagued by hazy memories of San Diego, California, 400 miles to the south. With just $17 in his pocket, he set out hitchhiking. Three days later, Pierre was wandering the streets of San Diego, searching for something that might tell him who he was.
Pierre felt he was hovering on the brink of madness. Finally, a sympathetic bus driver gave him a ride to the St. Vincent de Paul Homeless Shelter. Dr. Julie Becker was a Counseling Program Manager at the shelter when Pierre walked in:
After six months of physical and psychological examinations, doctors could find no cause for Pierre’s memory loss. They did, however, theorize that Pierre was suffering from “trauma induced amnesia.” While at St. Vincent’s, Pierre concentrated on reviving his lost memory. Soon, fragments of his former self began to emerge. Pierre apparently had considerable knowledge about physics, advanced math, and computers. He even became convinced that he could fly an airplane. Pierre also found that he had a talent for music and learned to play the guitar in just a few hours. Hoping to add detail to Pierre’s fragmented memories, Unsolved Mysteries arranged for him to consult with a police sketch artist. Two portraits were created of people who may have been significant in Pierre’s past. The first was a man whom Pierre believed was his cousin Luke, nicknamed Curly. The second drawing was a woman whom Pierre believed was once his employer. Pierre thought her name might be Carol:
Update: On the night of our broadcast, the woman Pierre called Carol recognized him as a former employee. She confirmed that his name is indeed Pierre April. Carol contacted Pierre and told him that he has two sisters and that his parents live in Lachine, Canada. The following day, Pierre talked to his dad for the first time in more than five months:
When the package arrived, Pierre and his fiancée, a woman he met in San Diego, sat down with a friend to get a first look at Pierre’s long lost past:
Watch this case now on Amazon Prime in season five with Robert Stack and in season one with Dennis Farina. Also available on YouTube with Dennis Farina. Various seasons available now on Hulu. |
Jake
I love unsolved mysteries but I absolutely hate this story.
Dude woke up with an ID on him and was like “yeah, that’s not me” but it was? Did no one even check it out? Could’ve been solved in five minutes.
Stupid.
Barry
This story really confuses me. He found a library card with his name on it as soon as he woke up — so why did it take six months of physical and psychological exams and a TV show to discover his identity? Everyone pretty much knew his name was Pierre April all along, or at least suspected it was. Why didn’t he rush home to his family once he discovered his identity? Why did his dad send a package with photos and a birth certificate instead of his family rushing to see him? Very odd.
George Jackson
I think Pierre and Benjamin King (BK because he was found in a Burger King dumpster) are the only two well publicized amnesiacs that weren’t felons on the run. Sadly most living John/Jane Does are too mentally ill to know much about their pasts.
darrcface
Yes, I’ve watched the program.According to Dr.Cornelia Wilbur,people who suffers from Amnesia, are in reality are multiple personality disorder.Perhaps, he has suffered a traumatic childhood.I wonder if he learned Aerospace, physics, etc, in s school.And like everyone else, nobody came rushing to his side.Dr.Wilbur, from the State of (Kentucky) work as a therapist on the patient(Sybil), true story.
Topher Nochez
This gossip about him being a pedophile and on the run… that makes absolutely no sense. If you’re on the run from a crime, and such a serious one, at that, you’re not going to participate in a national television program that usually works with the police to solve crimes.
Joe Mamr
He only participated in it because people in his new life were getting suspicious about why he kept refusing to do it or to reach out on any national program.
Jmartinez
He was wanted on charges for pedophilia and accused of hurting a girl.
https://m.facebook.com/groups/849593415054657?view=permalink&id=2789285254418787&anchor_reactions=true
Travis
You can’t read French well cuz that’s not what it says at all.
Monica
Someone up top said that then “person who grew up with Pierre is jealous that he was on tv” why the heck would someone be jealous of a childhood friend who is lying on national television for whatever reason. Clearly the guy said Pierre has always been slick with devious tendencies so that’s probably why his family didn’t rush to him.
Furthermore, I find it pure bs. My father was hit in the head with a 2×4 HE HAS LONGTERM memory loss. These ppl on US used to lie just to get on television. Also some wise guy said to check out the dissapearance of Agatha Christie. Please, that’s one of my fav stories. AGATHA didnt suffer from memory loss sweetheart.
In my common sense opinion Pierre is a great actor (;
Monica
I’m sorry but I’ve seen enough of these stories on US and the updates usually reveals some sort of trouble that the said person is running from. I just don’t buy it, at all. On season 6 I believe it is they show this episode again and the update and Imthey showed another lady who apparently lost her memory as well and was returne to Canada. Is his some type of Canadian thing? Either way I find it strange and hard to believe.
Emily
No it’s not a Canadian thing
cats_bell
I’m fairly certain I found his profile on Facebook. It looks like he has a happy family and he’s still in CA. He works at a mine as some kind of engineer, I think.
No mention of his memory loss or what could have caused it.
Let’s just let him live in peace and enjoy his life
Anonymous
What caused him to have amnesia anyways? How did he get all the way to California? Hmmm. Sounds funny to me.
Patrick Kerrigan
This sounds like he had a case of ” Dissociative Fugue” which is the proper name for trauma induced amnesia. The first documented case of this dates back to the 1880’s, and a guy named Ansel Bourne. There are more cases like this around the country, and the world. Many of them undiagnosed.
Check on the stories of Hannah Upp and Jody Roberts. Also the disappearance of Agatha Christie in the 1920’s.
Kelly
The whole time I was watching this on amazon prime, I was like he’s French. Can no one tell that from his accent? It was weird that no one had wondered about it or mentioned it in the episode but it was so obvious from the first words out of his mouth. Wonder whatever happened after his memories came back.
Thinker
Ok but how did he have a memory of San Diego when he didn’t know anyone? Was he in the army at Camp Pendleton down in Oceanside which is in North San Diego County? Did he have family/friends in SD? Why’d he have random memories of San Diego in particular? That’s never been explained and I can’t find any recent (as of late 2017) on him online (except LinkedIn which shows him living back in and working in Canada if indeed that is him).
Anonymous
I grew up with this man he had always had a super intellect n did at times have possible devious tendencies maybe that’s why his family didn’t go running to his aid…
TrekStar1701
Either he did or did not have devious tendencies. If you knew him as you say you did, then you should be able to tell us for sure whether he did or did not. If you are unsure, then you should probably not say anything regarding it, as it only comes off as you trying to belittle or discredit this man. Maybe you’re jealous that he was on tv. Maybe you didn’t like him when you were younger. I can’t be sure of that, but I can be sure that your comment as it stands doesn’t bring anything new or relevant to this story.
Paul
I wonder if he and the girl stayed together and if so where they ended up. I agree about his family in Canada too..wth?
anon
What was his profession at the end? Any idea?
Devynn
This guy is gorgeous and what a beautiful tongue!!! I was just a little boy back then at this same location area, if only I had been older and there he wouldn’t have lost his memory. We’d be together right now.
Person
Seriously? This is a case about a man that had lost his memory and that’s all you can think to say. Gross. You need Jesus.
The Anti-Christ
You need a swift punch to the throat. Jesus? Pfft.
kelly
I dont really recall this story but, I am glad to hear that most of his Memories returned9
Nancy
Maybe he didnt want the family to come down since he didnt fully trust them…Either way, happy he was found but still a sad story to not have any memory.
Tom
I always thought there was something strange about this story. When it was solved, his family didn’t rush to San Diego to make sure he was okay. If it were my son who had been missing for months and who had been living in shelters and suffering from some kind of trauma, I would have been on the first flight I could get.
Jean
I agree. I found it strange his family didn’t rush to his side, nor did he go to them. I’m sure Unsolved Mysteries would have paid for the trip just to get the heartwarming footage of the reunion. It seems he’s still a man without a family.
Anonymous
did they ever find out what traumatic event caused his amnesia?
MINERVA RODRIGUEZ FELICIANO
I REMEMBER SEEING THIS EPISODE OF PIERE, AND I WONDERED HOW HE IS DOING TODAY, IS HE HAPPY. HOW IS FAMILY. I HOPE ALL IS WELL FOR HIM. I CAN ONLY IMAGINE NOT HAVING MEMORY OF MY FAMILY. IT WOULD SCARE ME.
Anonymous
I just saw the update on him and he did gain his memory and is doing well.