Found Deceased OR - Brian Duncan, 38, paraplegic, Portland, 16 Oct 2017

  • #41
I've been looking for anything on Brian I can find, to help figure out what's going on. My best guess so far is depression. :( It's a terrific tragedy that a young man so full of life was stricken by a vehicle running a red light while he was 'safely' crossing the street - and left paraplegic.

Brian seems like such a well loved man. He's fun, adventurous, interesting, good looking. He's married and has a baby. I'm just sad he is missing and I hope he is okay.

Heres an article showing just how fun he is.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/17/f...uples-make-memorable-entrances-and-exits.html

I saw the article last night. Made me tear up.

Their wedding even made The NY Times:

“Hanne and Brian Duncan of Philadelphia, fans of bicycling, met at a race, and their second date was a 60-mile ride. So it seemed fitting for them to leave their wedding last August at Village Presbyterian Church in Prairie Village, Kan., on a tandem. Guests rang bicycle bells as they rode off.”

More at link:
https://mobile.nytimes.com/2011/07/...uples-make-memorable-entrances-and-exits.html
 
  • #42
Bump for sweet Brian. He had a beautiful family and I hope he is okay.
 
  • #43
This notification of Brian being missing puts him out by the water with no barriers, not in the railed portion of the pier. :(

https://www.bloglikes.com/blogs/201...north-portland-collision-last-year-is-missing
Portland Police are looking for Brian Duncan, whose family says he’s been missing since yesterday (10/16) at 2:30 pm. He was last seen on his motorized wheelchair near the Duckworth Dock on the floating portion of the Eastbank Esplanade south of the Steel Bridge.
My only hope that he is okay is because his phone pinged inland later. But maybe someone found his phone. :(
 
  • #44
Bumping and praying for this young man.
 
  • #45
You have to scroll to get to the part about Brian, but here it states he's known to wear blue wire-framed glasses.
http://www.publicjail.com/wp_scraper_pro-id7/
Update: Public's Help Sought to Locate a Missing 38-Year-Old Man (Photo) - 10/19/17

The Portland Police Bureau's Missing Persons Unit continues to attempt to locate 38-year-old Brian D. Duncan, who was last seen near the Eastbank Esplanade. Detectives have released additional photographs of Duncan.

Anyone seeing Duncan should immediately call 9-1-1 so officers can check his welfare. Anyone with non-emergency information should contact Detective Lori Fonken at 503-823-1081, [email protected] or [email protected]


###ORIGINAL MESSAGE BELOW###
The Portland Police Bureau's Missing Persons Unit is asking for the public's help to locate a 38-year-old man missing since October 16, 2017 at 2:30 p.m.

Brian D. Duncan is described as 6'00" tall, 190 pounds, brown hair, brown facial hair, and blue eyes. Duncan is a person with a paraplegic injury and uses a motorized wheelchair for mobility. He is known to wear blue wire-framed glasses.

Duncan's last reported location was the Duckworth Dock near the Steele Bridge.

Duncan's family is concerned for his welfare. There are no indications that his disappearance involves foul play.

Anyone seeing Duncan should immediately call 9-1-1 so officers can check his welfare. Anyone with non-emergency information should contact Detective Lori Fonken at 503-823-1081, [email protected] or [email protected]
 
  • #46
This notification of Brian being missing puts him out by the water with no barriers, not in the railed portion of the pier. :(

https://www.bloglikes.com/blogs/201...north-portland-collision-last-year-is-missing

My only hope that he is okay is because his phone pinged inland later. But maybe someone found his phone. :(

Here is an old article about the floating portions of the Eastbank Esplanade:

http://koin.com/2017/03/25/floating-part-of-eastbank-esplanade-closed/

“During periods of very high water, when the river reaches nearly 18 feet, the ramps rise to an angle determined to be potentially unsafe for people on bikes, on foot and for those using mobility devices,” Portland Parks & Recreation said.

The floating section is tethered to the solid riverbank between the Steel Bridge and Burnside Bridge.


and here's a picture from that article:

eastbank.jpg


Were the tides high the day he went missing?
 
  • #47
  • #48
I agree with those of you thinking suicide is possible - I just don't understand how they haven't found the wheelchair. Have they even done dives or sonar sweeps of the water yet?

The circumstances surrounding this are so sad. No one should have their life taken away by someone who shouldn't be behind the wheel. I really hope he is in someone's care who is just slow to catch the news. Why was he even alone? Was that normal for him?
 
  • #49
Prayers to Brian and all his family and friends.
 
  • #50
Would the wheelchair float ? Does anyone know.
 
  • #51
Here is an old article about the floating portions of the Eastbank Esplanade:

http://koin.com/2017/03/25/floating-part-of-eastbank-esplanade-closed/

“During periods of very high water, when the river reaches nearly 18 feet, the ramps rise to an angle determined to be potentially unsafe for people on bikes, on foot and for those using mobility devices,” Portland Parks & Recreation said.

The floating section is tethered to the solid riverbank between the Steel Bridge and Burnside Bridge.


and here's a picture from that article:

eastbank.jpg


Were the tides high the day he went missing?
Ok, so then we believe he was on this railed section? I mean, a wheelchair on a cement pier with no rails is a bad idea, so I hope this is where he was, even if the tide was high. I'll try to figure out the tide at 2:30 pm that day.

Thank you for finding this article. I so badly want this guy to b ok. His family must be distraught.
 
  • #52
Ok, so then we believe he was on this railed section? I mean, a wheelchair on a cement pier with no rails is a bad idea, so I hope this is where he was, even if the tide was high. I'll try to figure out the tide at 2:30 pm that day.

Thank you for finding this article. I so badly want this guy to b ok. His family must be distraught.

Your updated article says the Duckworth Dock on the floating portion of the Eastbank Esplanade south of the Steel Bridge. Here is a youtube video of the Duckwater Dock, there are no railings. Not sure where the portion is that is south of the Steel Bridge:

[video=youtube;Npf4bcez5dU]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Npf4bcez5dU[/video]
 
  • #53
  • #54
Would the wheelchair float ? Does anyone know.

Very unlikely. The batteries installed in wheelchairs and disabled scooters are very heavy.
 
  • #55
I agree with those of you thinking suicide is possible - I just don't understand how they haven't found the wheelchair. Have they even done dives or sonar sweeps of the water yet?

The circumstances surrounding this are so sad. No one should have their life taken away by someone who shouldn't be behind the wheel. I really hope he is in someone's care who is just slow to catch the news. Why was he even alone? Was that normal for him?[B/]

RBBM

I have wondered perhals he has voluntarily admitted himself to a mental health treatment facility. Surely, LE has looked into this possibility and contacted all area hospitals (there is an exception to HIPAA regarding missing person cases, and medical providers and facilities are permitted to let LE know if the person has been treated, admitted, etc.; if the individual does not wish their loved ones to know their whereabouts, LE would only inform the reporting party the person has been located).

Still, I have seen cases where the missing person is unable to tell who he is, does not have any ID, or the hospital staff doesn’t make a connection for some time. Brian has been missing for over a week now, though, and with every passing day, this type of scenario becomes less and less likely, IMO. Plus, due to his limited mobility, I don’t believe he would have gone too far.

I, too, wonder if he was completely alone, and if so, whether that was something he did regularly. Or maybe there was someone with him, but they had to step away for a moment (e.g., using the restroom), and when they returned, he was nowhere to be found. He could have fallen into the river accidentally, or decided to end it all in that moment. Suicide can sometimes be an impulsive act, IMO. But then why haven’t we heard about anyone searching the river? And why such a lack of info in general?
 
  • #56
Very unlikely. The batteries installed in wheelchairs and disabled scooters are very heavy.

So it's possible he is strapped into the wheel chair and it would sink?
 
  • #57
So it's possible he is strapped into the wheel chair and it would sink?

Yes, almost certainly.

My partner's late father had one of those powered scooters used by people with only moderate mobility problems. The battery on that was probably at least 20lb in weight. The battery on a fully motorised wheelchair would weigh much more.

Take a look at this powered wheelchair as an example:

http://www.betterlifehealthcare.com/view/betterlife-aries-electric-wheelchair/7619/


  • Total Weight: 63kgs (140lbs)
  • Total Weight Without Battery: 41kgs (92lbs)

So the battery alone weighs about 50lb.
 
  • #58
At that time of day (afternoon) there would be many people on the esplanade, right? A heavy wheelchair going in the water would make a loud splash also I would think? Nobody saw or heard anything?
 
  • #59
Breaks my heart ...:

"'Police find body of missing man with paraplegia'
KGW 6:35 PM. PDT October 25, 2017

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Portland Police found the body of a 38-year-old man with paraplegia who was last seen on Oct. 16.

Police say there were no signs of foul play.

Brian D. Duncan was last seen by the Duckworth Dock near the Steel Bridge at about 2:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 16."
http://www.kgw.com/news/local/missi...ing-for-missing-man-with-paraplegia/484097853
 
  • #60
This update says he was found yesterday:

"Update #2: Public's Help Sought to Locate a Missing 38-Year-Old Man (Photo) - 10/25/17
On Tuesday October 24, 2017, deputies with the Multnomah County Sheriff's Office located Brian D. Duncan's body. Emergency responders determined Duncan was deceased and that there were no signs of foul play." (BBM)
https://www.flashalert.net/news.html?id=3056&alert=1
 

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