"Honey, I’m Home, Where Are You?" The Missing Canoeist

Five years after going missing while canoeing, John Darwin, walked into a police station and said “I think I am a missing person”. He was presumed dead when the remains of his canoe were found washed up on a beach near Hartlepool in March 2002. Even though the 57 year old is alive and well, he doesn’t remember what happened to him or where he has been for the past five years.

Losing one’s memory has got to be one of the most awful things that could happen… Mr Darwin was examined shortly after speaking to police in London and showed no signs of illness. His family was informed and he left the police station with his two sons.

At the time Darwin disappeared he was married and his wife brings a somewhat mysterious twist to the story that leaves it open for a lot of speculation: Anne Darwin had been on holiday earlier this summer and liked it so much so that she decided to move abroad. Neighbours thought she had gone off to Australia but apparently she left for Panama. A weeks later furniture removals came and she was gone without saying goodbye or leaving a forwarding address.

Neighbour Alec Dixon says:

“They owned two adjoining Victorian terrace houses. They lived in one and John said he had plans to do up the other one. But that obviously never happened.”

Coincidence? Perhaps there’s more to the story… somehow I cannot help but think insurance con.

Honey you go missing for a few years and when you are declared dead, I can claim the insurance on our homes, pay off the mortgages, get your life insurance policy payout and sell the houses. Then I’m off to South America and when the smoke has cleared, you come and join me.

A little far fetched but possible. Also possible that he really lost his memory.

2 Responses to “"Honey, I’m Home, Where Are You?" The Missing Canoeist”

  1. Memory loss is usually accompanied by personality changes, mostly for the worst, and inability to function the same as before the loss. I saw cases of amnesia on Oprah once!
    I can’t imagine doctors being unable to decide if memory loss was real or not.

  2. I’m not so sure whether or not it can be established, like beyond reasonable doubt whether or not someone is faking amnesia. I would think that any good psychologist or specialist in that field would be able to tell. Anyway, it’s gonna be interesting to see what’ll happen to him.

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