Just a Suggestion

[TheGodfather]

Let me start off by making it clear that in no way am I intending to offend Benjamin or any of the people who have dedicated so much time and effort to this case. I am not trying to suggest that Benjamin is willingly deceiving anyone or faking anything at all. I'm simply trying to help.

Like many of you, I have read all about Benjamin's story. It is truly fascinating yet sad, and I don't doubt for a second how difficult this all must be for Benjamin. However, all of the details, pieces of memories, and speculation have led me to the conclusion that this case is not exactly what it seems. It's much deeper and more complicated than a man with amnesia trying to find his identity.

Basically, what I'm suggesting is that consciously or subconsciously, Benjamin has some awareness of his previous life or the circumstances leading up to his discovery at the Burger King. It's hard to say exactly what level of detail he has, but I do firmly believe that there are things he knows but hasn't told anyone.

The more time that passes, the harder it is to believe that Benjamin hasn't begun to realize or remember anything more recent than the 80's or early 90's. It has been well over 5 years since the incident occurred which caused his amnesia, and during that time he has been interviewed repeatedly and asked thousands of questions by so many people. Something must have triggered some kind of memory, and yet reading Benjamin's responses on this message board, he seems so dismissive and at times even unwilling to delve into some areas.

Obviously something very traumatic happened to this man. There is no denying that, and it is easy to understand why such an experience would be difficult to talk about or fully come to terms with. Maybe he realizes the implications of sharing certain details, and he's afraid of where it will lead. I don't know, but I can't help but feel that the picture is incomplete in more ways than the obvious. Something just doesn't add up.

A few questions I have that might lead somewhere:

- I've seen this asked a few times here, but I've never seen a response from Benjamin. Does he remember anything about where he was or what he was doing on September 11, 2001?

- At one point several people in the Boulder area claimed that they remembered Benjamin working at a local restaurant, I think one specifically remembered him as a manager. Did nothing ever come of this?

- Benjamin claimed that he was trying to get to the ocean, and that may have been why he was in Savannah. He also claims that he knew for a fact there were railroad tracks behind the woods near the Burger King. It begs the question, what other tiny details might have come up about the area? I think he must have some idea as to why he was there.

- And lastly, what does Benjamin do with his time? He can't get a job and he legally has no identity, so it seems to me that he would be very actively trying to figure this all out on a daily basis. Making phone calls, doing internet research, visiting this message board frequently, etc. Is this the case?

 

[Cubby]

Welcome to WS TheGodfather.

Respectfully snipped from your questions.

- At one point several people in the Boulder area claimed that they remembered Benjamin working at a local restaurant, I think one specifically remembered him as a manager. Did nothing ever come of this?

This restaurant manager was excluded. I saw his picture- we sleuthed it, don't recall if it was linked but since he has since been excluded his photo will not be linked again. Yes he was a look alike to Benjaman, however Colleen Fitzpatrick a forensic genealogist working on Mr. Kyles case spoke with someone who knows this man and verified he had been in contact with family within the previous 6 months of receiving this tip. Thus excluding him as Mr. Kyle.

- Benjamin claimed that he was trying to get to the ocean, and that may have been why he was in Savannah. He also claims that he knew for a fact there were railroad tracks behind the woods near the Burger King. It begs the question, what other tiny details might have come up about the area? I think he must have some idea as to why he was there.

This is the first I recall anything about Benjaman having any knowledge of rail road tracks behind the burger king where he was found. Could you provide a link with the information you found indicating that memory of Mr. Kyles?

- And lastly, what does Benjamin do with his time? He can't get a job and he legally has no identity, so it seems to me that he would be very actively trying to figure this all out on a daily basis. Making phone calls, doing internet research, visiting this message board frequently, etc. Is this the case?

I think I will answer breifly. As with anyone who has a missing family member, especially one that has been missing for numerous years I am sure they try to get on with their lives as best they can without devoting 24/7 to their case. I'm sure Mr. Kyle does what he can with the time he can spend emotionally to his case, knowing it is quite possible he may never learn his true identity, a truth he has to find a way to live with, not you or I as sleuths, but for his life and his own sanity. Outside of that, it has been stated before by Christine2448 and I will state it again. Mr. Kyle did not come here asking for our help. His threads and this forum came out of the routine WS desire to solve a case or help solve a case. What Mr. Kyle does with his time, how much time he chooses to devote to his case and how much time he chooses to spend here at WS is his business. We are blessed to have him drop in from time to time, as we are any family member who posts here at WS, so I will leave it at that.

thanks for your interest in Mr. Kyles case.

 

[carolwood]

First, welcome The Godfather.

I want to make it clear also, I am not offending anyone, simply an explanation of what it could be.

Put yourself in his shoes for 1 day. That's all I ask, then ask yourself:
1. Who am I?
2. Where is my family?
3. What happened?
4. What should I do from here?

Now I will go a bit further. He's bombarded with questions from everyone trying to help him, from Law Enforcement to WS. I am sure he has answered the same questions, over and over. I am not LE, I am simply someone who wants to help him.
I, for one, am very thankful Benjaman does come here from time to time and answer questions. But again, I am not LE, and what right do I have invading what little privacy he does have? Only to the extent of what he wants to answer for me.
IMO, he is trying to move on with his life, which is what I would do.
Hopefully, one day someone will ask a question or post a picture that will jog his memory.

 

[carolwood]

Cubby, the railroad tracks questions and answer is on the questions thread, I believe. I thought this was very interesting, knowing where the tracks are in regards to the BK location.

 

[believe09]

Let me start off by making it clear that in no way am I intending to offend Benjamin or any of the people who have dedicated so much time and effort to this case. I am not trying to suggest that Benjamin is willingly deceiving anyone or faking anything at all. I'm simply trying to help.

Like many of you, I have read all about Benjamin's story. It is truly fascinating yet sad, and I don't doubt for a second how difficult this all must be for Benjamin. However, all of the details, pieces of memories, and speculation have led me to the conclusion that this case is not exactly what it seems. It's much deeper and more complicated than a man with amnesia trying to find his identity.

Basically, what I'm suggesting is that consciously or subconsciously, Benjamin has some awareness of his previous life or the circumstances leading up to his discovery at the Burger King. It's hard to say exactly what level of detail he has, but I do firmly believe that there are things he knows but hasn't told anyone.

The more time that passes, the harder it is to believe that Benjamin hasn't begun to realize or remember anything more recent than the 80's or early 90's. It has been well over 5 years since the incident occurred which caused his amnesia, and during that time he has been interviewed repeatedly and asked thousands of questions by so many people. Something must have triggered some kind of memory, and yet reading Benjamin's responses on this message board, he seems so dismissive and at times even unwilling to delve into some areas.

Obviously something very traumatic happened to this man. There is no denying that, and it is easy to understand why such an experience would be difficult to talk about or fully come to terms with. Maybe he realizes the implications of sharing certain details, and he's afraid of where it will lead. I don't know, but I can't help but feel that the picture is incomplete in more ways than the obvious. Something just doesn't add up.

A few questions I have that might lead somewhere:

- I've seen this asked a few times here, but I've never seen a response from Benjamin. Does he remember anything about where he was or what he was doing on September 11, 2001?

- At one point several people in the Boulder area claimed that they remembered Benjamin working at a local restaurant, I think one specifically remembered him as a manager. Did nothing ever come of this?

- Benjamin claimed that he was trying to get to the ocean, and that may have been why he was in Savannah. He also claims that he knew for a fact there were railroad tracks behind the woods near the Burger King. It begs the question, what other tiny details might have come up about the area? I think he must have some idea as to why he was there.

- And lastly, what does Benjamin do with his time? He can't get a job and he legally has no identity, so it seems to me that he would be very actively trying to figure this all out on a daily basis. Making phone calls, doing internet research, visiting this message board frequently, etc. Is this the case?

Welcome to WS the Godfather-you are astute!

I think what he does with his time and how he is helping himself are fair questions. He does not have to choose to answer them....we try and be sensitive to the fact that we have a live unidentified man here and that his life has not been easy and likely wasnt easy for a period surrounding the event that took his memory. We try not to overwhelm him, GF, with questions but the fact is he can cherry pick what he wants to respond to. And we are just a group of many who are fascinated with him.

I think saying he has some kind of awareness somewhere of who he is is also a fair statement-one would have to believe that you store your life experiences and identity somewhere, even if BK cannot call that information up currently. He has specific likes, dislikes and memories. So I am hopeful that all that he really is will reveal itself to himself....so that he can continue on in peace etc...

thanks for posting with us and please stick around!!!!

 

[Julessleuther]

I've been gone awhile but still moniter the board--I too had not seen the remark about the railroad tracks. How would he have known that? Could he have been "riding the rails" like Jack Kerouac? I will check out the questions thread again...

 

[nerosleuth]

Welcome to WS, The Godfather. We're glad to have you here.

Yes, you are correct that this is a sad situation to be in. I way I see it, the sad part is getting up each day not being able to remember who you are, where you came from, or if there is anyone out there who even remembers me.

Now think of all the things that you and I can do that BK cannot do because he doesn't have a legal identity.

Such as having a driver's license to drive a car, applying and holding a job, applying for a credit card, being able to fly on a commercial airline, or even buy a house or property.

At one point in time, BK did have a legal identity. I do believe that he had a normal life just like you and I do.

I do hope that someday there will be something that will jog BK's memory. It very well could be a picture, a keyword, a phrase, a slogan, or even a question.

Something that will all come back to BK to help him regain his true identity so he can have a normal life again to do all the things that you and I take for granted.

 

[Roselvr]

I've been gone awhile but still moniter the board--I too had not seen the remark about the railroad tracks. How would he have known that? Could he have been "riding the rails" like Jack Kerouac? I will check out the questions thread again...

When I 1st started posting here I remember the railroad track discussion. I'm sure I have lots of links in my BK related favorites folder from it.

IIRC; the homeless were also spoken about with the train track mention.

Ok.. just looked; this is what I have saved -
links to other hobo & railroad sites
Fran's hobo page there's a term on this page, it says My book, "The American Hoboes", (Riders of the Rails)


.

 

[believe09]

Welcome to WS, The Godfather. We're glad to have you here.

Yes, you are correct that this is a sad situation to be in. I way I see it, the sad part is getting up each day not being able to remember who you are, where you came from, or if there is anyone out there who even remembers me.

Now think of all the things that you and I can do that BK cannot do because he doesn't have a legal identity.

Such as having a driver's license to drive a car, applying and holding a job, applying for a credit card, being able to fly on a commercial airline, or even buy a house or property.



At one point in time, BK did have a legal identity. I do believe that he had a normal life just like you and I do.

I do hope that someday there will be something that will jog BK's memory. It very well could be a picture, a keyword, a phrase, a slogan, or even a question.

Something that will all come back to BK to help him regain his true identity so he can have a normal life again to do all the things that you and I take for granted.

He has the option of a Writ of Mandemus to get an SSN issued to him-he has already satisfied GA statutes regarding a "name change" in that he has multiple entities that have identified him as Benjaman Kyle.....you may have missed this nero? This option came about last August after consulting a federal judge...

 

[dreamweaver]

Let me start off by making it clear that in no way am I intending to offend Benjamin or any of the people who have dedicated so much time and effort to this case. I am not trying to suggest that Benjamin is willingly deceiving anyone or faking anything at all. I'm simply trying to help.

Like many of you, I have read all about Benjamin's story. It is truly fascinating yet sad, and I don't doubt for a second how difficult this all must be for Benjamin. However, all of the details, pieces of memories, and speculation have led me to the conclusion that this case is not exactly what it seems. It's much deeper and more complicated than a man with amnesia trying to find his identity.

Basically, what I'm suggesting is that consciously or subconsciously, Benjamin has some awareness of his previous life or the circumstances leading up to his discovery at the Burger King. It's hard to say exactly what level of detail he has, but I do firmly believe that there are things he knows but hasn't told anyone.

The more time that passes, the harder it is to believe that Benjamin hasn't begun to realize or remember anything more recent than the 80's or early 90's. It has been well over 5 years since the incident occurred which caused his amnesia, and during that time he has been interviewed repeatedly and asked thousands of questions by so many people. Something must have triggered some kind of memory, and yet reading Benjamin's responses on this message board, he seems so dismissive and at times even unwilling to delve into some areas.

Obviously something very traumatic happened to this man. There is no denying that, and it is easy to understand why such an experience would be difficult to talk about or fully come to terms with. Maybe he realizes the implications of sharing certain details, and he's afraid of where it will lead. I don't know, but I can't help but feel that the picture is incomplete in more ways than the obvious. Something just doesn't add up.

A few questions I have that might lead somewhere:

- I've seen this asked a few times here, but I've never seen a response from Benjamin. Does he remember anything about where he was or what he was doing on September 11, 2001?

- At one point several people in the Boulder area claimed that they remembered Benjamin working at a local restaurant, I think one specifically remembered him as a manager. Did nothing ever come of this?

- Benjamin claimed that he was trying to get to the ocean, and that may have been why he was in Savannah. He also claims that he knew for a fact there were railroad tracks behind the woods near the Burger King. It begs the question, what other tiny details might have come up about the area? I think he must have some idea as to why he was there.

- And lastly, what does Benjamin do with his time? He can't get a job and he legally has no identity, so it seems to me that he would be very actively trying to figure this all out on a daily basis. Making phone calls, doing internet research, visiting this message board frequently, etc. Is this the case?

Godfather: First, welcome to WS.

Let me say that you chose an unpopular opinion for your first post.

But having said that, I will say that I agree with you.
I have worked on Benjaman's case since fall of 2008.
It only took me a couple of months before I felt something was 'off' about the story.
I also felt BK knew more than he was disclosing.
But I continued to work on his behalf because I felt strongly that if he wanted to know his identity, then maybe in some small way I could help.

After the fresh start thread began and actual facts came out about
the morning he was found by the dumpster at Burger King,
I thought, hmmm.

In my opinion, Benjaman Kyle does remember more than about himself and his life than he has shared. And if that is true, that is his perogative to do so.
He may have all sorts of reasons for that.
..none of our business; or he doesn't like what he remembers; or he isn't sure it is a memory; .....
Let me be clear: I think he did not remember anything in the beginning.
But I think he has slowly regained bits and pieces of his life.
JMO all the way around.

Still, as I have said before on this thread, I don't really care what his background was, I will still help out if help is needed.
He may well have been homeless for years. I don't care.
He may well have ran away from his job and family. I don't care.
He may well just be a man who drifted into the homeless life and could not break free. Do not care.
He may have faked his own death. Don't care.


My question is: is the help still needed?

 

[dreamweaver]

As for the railroad tracks, it has been confirmed there are railroad tracks behind that Richmond Hill Burger King. There were also two(I think) homeless camps.

There has been nothing new about his statement that he went there to see the ocean.

Nothing about where he thought he was on 9/11/2001.

I don't know for a fact what Benjaman Kyle does with his time, but from what he has posted here and from newspaper articles,
he does odd jobs around the neighborhood, mows lawns, helps take care of the house with NB and he had a garden last summer. Then there is the documentary.
But he seems to have bursts of activity about posting here.
I think he probably would just like to go ahead and live his life and not deal with any of this, but then feels he must.
IMO.

 

[Cubby]

Good questions and comments dreamweaver.

As for is the help still needed? I think so, as long as Mr. Kyles case still appears on missing persons sites indicating he remains unidentified.

jmo

 

[nerosleuth]

He has the option of a Writ of Mandemus to get an SSN issued to him-he has already satisfied GA statutes regarding a "name change" in that he has multiple entities that have identified him as Benjaman Kyle.....you may have missed this nero? This option came about last August after consulting a federal judge...

Believe, I do remember reading about the Writ of Mandemus option in another thread. I just hadn't thought about this. I do hope that BK is pursuing this option that would allow him to get a legal identity through a name change.

Let me be clear: I think he did not remember anything in the beginning.
But I think he has slowly regained bits and pieces of his life.
JMO all the way around.

Dreamweaver, I agree with what you're saying here. I think it's possible that BK may have flashbacks where he may remember a face but can't remember a name, or he maybe he remembers being somehwere in a certain point in his life for whatever event but cannot remember the name or where that particular place was.