Losing Your Identity

In October of last year, Joe Bieger, a 59-year old assistant high school athletic coach and devoted family man, left his home in Dallas, Texas and apparently vanished from the face of the earth.  After 25 days of frantic worry, his family received word that Bieger was alive and well although the story of what had happened to him is still unfolding.

For reasons that remain unknown, Bieger lost all recollection of his name and identity and wandered the streets of Dallas.  In what is believed to be a case of psychogenic fugue, Bieger continues to lack any memory of how he survived during this period and what he ate although packets from fast food restaurants were found on him.  Despte searching by an army of police and volunteers and extensive media exposure relating to the case, no clear trace of him could be found over the 25-day period.  Over the course of his wanderings, he eventually found his way to a Dallas suburb twenty miles from his home where he was recognized by a construction foreman who helped him to remember his identity.  He had lost 25 pounds, had a full white beard, and holes in the soles of both of his shoes. but was otherwise in good health.  He has now returned to work and is currently under the care of a specialist in fugue cases.  His cell phone now has a GPS tracker.    

Although cases of psychogenic fugue are rare, they are believed to be linked to episodes of personal stress it remains unclear why some people are more susceptible than others.  More details on this story can be found here.