Pennsylvania man with amnesia seeks to rebuild life after being found unconscious in Florida
By Brian Roche
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MIDDLETOWN, Pennsylvania (WGAL) — Darrell Powell, a Pennsylvania man diagnosed with amnesia after being found unconscious in a Florida restroom, is trying to piece together his life with the help of his ex-wife, Abi Knaub.
“He needs to have a life now. Even if he can’t remember his life,” Knaub said.
Timeline of events
Powell was discovered on Sept. 8 in a Wawa restroom in Orlando, Florida, with no wallet, cell phone, or identification. He has been told his name is Darrell Powell and grew up in Middletown, graduating from Middletown Area High School in 1995.
“He doesn’t know who he is. He knows who he has been told he is,” Knaub said.
Knaub, Powell’s ex-wife, last had contact with him around 2014.
After Powell was in the hospital for eight days, police used facial recognition software to find his Pennsylvania driver’s license online, connecting him with Knaub.
“And after he had been in the hospital for eight days, the police came and did, took a picture of him, and ran facial recognition software, were able to find his Pennsylvania driver’s license online. They landed on me because basically his parents have passed away and there is no one else,” Knaub said.
Powell has no children or family, and he has been diagnosed with amnesia caused by a brain aneurysm. Despite the option to walk away, Knaub is committed to helping Powell.
“I’m not taking that stance. And everyone in my life, my family members, the people that I love, all understand and support me in doing this because they know that this is who I am,” Knaub said.
Taking role as detective
Knaub has appointed herself as Powell’s detective, trying to piece together his life and determine how he ended up in Florida.
“The last I know, he was living in Camp Hill. However, his driver’s license said that he was living in Erie,” Knaub said.
Knaub learned that Powell had an apartment in Erie with rent paid through July and rented a car in Erie that was found in Florida.
An invoice shows Powell booked a cruise out of Miami from August 3-10, but it is unknown if he went on the cruise.
Tough path ahead
Powell has returned to Pennsylvania after being treated in the hospital, and Florida authorities put him on a bus where Knaub picked him up. He is now living in a shelter.
“Basically, I’d like to just be able to start over, and I mean, hopefully, you know, just move forward,” Powell said.
Despite looking at photos of his past life provided by Knaub, nothing jogged Powell’s memory.
The goal is to find out what happened to Powell, why he ended up in Florida, and what may have happened before he was found unconscious.
Powell has been told by doctors that his memory may return in the future, but the aneurysm remains in his brain, and the medical path forward is uncertain.
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