08-07-2025
Heartbreaking story of lonely hospital patient who nobody knows or wants
A man found unconscious on a California street been lying in a hospital bed for more than three weeks and no one knows who he is, where he came from, or whether anyone is even looking for him.
The unidentified patient, believed to be in his mid-40s, was rushed to St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach on June 15.
A chilling photo released by Dignity Health shows the man lying in a hospital bed, unconscious and hooked up to a breathing machine.
He was found unresponsive near West Anaheim Street between Daisy and Pacific avenues.
When he was found, he had no ID, no wallet, or documents.
More than three weeks later, no friends, family, or acquaintances have come forward in connection to the patient.
Not a single visitor has walked through the doors to ask about him.
Hospital officials say the man is Hispanic and around 5ft 2in tall and weighs roughly 165 pounds.
He has brown eyes, brown hair, and a brown and gray beard.
The man does not have any tattoos or distinguishing marks that could help identify him.
Officials have not revealed his medical condition due to privacy laws.
It is unclear how critical his condition is at this time or if it is deteriorating as time goes on.
The hospital is making a desperate appeal to the public to help identify the mystery man.
Anyone who may recognize him or have any information is urged to call St. Mary Medical Center at 562-491-9381.
There are thousands of unidentified patients who are admitted to US hospitals each year.
Public hospitals like LA County+USC Medical Center can see up to 1,000 unidentified patients in a year.
Last October, officials asked the public to help identify a seriously ill patient who was surviving on life support at a California hospital.
Staff at the Riverside Community Hospital in the north of the suburb tried to put a name to the man who came through their doors on September 28, 2024.
They have refused to say what is wrong with him or why he is attached to a ventilator, but have issued a photograph in the hope that someone can put a name to the face.
'Hospital Case Management and Social Worker teams have exhausted resources in attempting identification, including working with the Riverside Police Department,' managers said in a statement at the time.
Dr. Chase Coffey, associate medical director of inpatient services at LA County, said such cases are common at the hospital, which is one of the largest in the country.
However, he added that for a patient to remain at the hospital for five months without being identified is rare.
He added that those patients are often either homeless, carrying false identification or may be undocumented.
'They could be trauma victims,' he explained.
