When need comes a knockin'

[Eric C]

What a relief!

And it's nice that the embassy seems to have gotten the message though it appears it took your strongly worded email to drive the point home. Disappointing.

I guess there are worse places in Asia than LOS to be afflicted with a mental illness. I'm glad I have friends here that would go to bat for me and help if my chips were down.

[Piece Train]

Nicely worded, Eric.

Originally Posted by jimbo

Thanks guys. Sometimes this board really helps in the tough times.....down times are rough...then the board is there.

PT: piss off.

I rejected your friend request,...creep.

I love ya' in the bunghole.

Originally Posted by zehner

well done jimbo.

Greened!

Originally Posted by Eric C

Wanting to help people like this guy is exactly why I decided to work as a paramedic.

And I a Mental Health Specialist in the United States Air Force Reserves.

[Umbuku]

Originally Posted by consular drone

Please understand that his case is a priority for us, as it has been since we first heard about him on Friday and throughout the weekend. Our Consul General has been informed of the situation.

Bad press means no bonus and maybe no promotion, shit we better do something.

Well done jimbo.

[Intrepid]

Everyone needs a friend like Jimbo - a guardian angel

[jimbo]

He's been given a sedative by the embassy's appointed doctor and returned to the guesthouse that let him slip out last night. This time the manager has been given explicit orders to keep the doors locked over night by the embassy. (I hope they're not joshin bout that!)

Tomorrow a.m. he'll be escorted back to the embassy and wait for me to arrive with his luggage in the early afternoon.

They hope to have him on a direct flight in the evening, tomorrow. They're gonna go ahead and send him without waiting for his father's emergency passport and visa to get done...not too mention the flight time. (his dad indicated he might not be able to make it here until Sat. morning.

They'd better talk to that airline staff beforehand(!)

After nearly 20 hours of wandering "awol" he should be cashed out for the night....I hope.

[redhaze]

Hopefully all is well that ends well here. I think the embassy may have jumped on this so fast the second time due to your persistence, given how unhelpful they seemed at first.

What a great story. Jammal's family will be quite pleased to know he had a friend there to look after him in tough times. I know I sure would if I had a family member in need. Good on ya Jimbo! Green headed your way, you earned it.

[Lotuslevi]

I suppose I may have been a tad bit rash in the manner that I criticized PT, but I get really steamed by people who have little respect for those who try to help others. I don`t think people help one another enough (myself included) and the truth is, no matter how cliche this might sound, it`s a scary world out there and it`s easy to forget how much scarier it could be for any of us without even just a little support.

[jimbo]

Don't worry about PT. He's on a two-month ban for posting other's personals.

Here's me and da' man in Outback Steakhouse...(Migeum) last Sunday after church. <<<Nicky and I got hammered in the very same place a few somethin' moons ago.

[Mr Brown]

You're very kind and that's a nice shirt! Good luck with your new friend.

PS He doesn't look well; he has that glazed look in his eyes.

[kikiat]

Originally Posted by jimbo

Thanks guys. Sometimes this board really helps in the tough times.....down times are rough...then the board is there.

PT: piss off.

I rejected your friend request,...creep.



LATEST EMAIL sums it up:

Dear Mr. and MRs. SImmons,

At 2:30 am (Tuesday morning) Atlanta time [3:15 pm Seoul time] Jamaal called me from a district in Seoul called Itaewon. It is known for having many foreigners. I sent the number to the embassy and they are on their way there to find him. They called back the number he used and it was at an internet cafe. The owner will try to keep him there until the embassy officials arrive.

I know Mr. Simmons was against hospitalization, but it seems our only option. I don't think it will be a problem getting him released to a family member later in the week, and it seems the safest option for Jamaal. I will be sure that they don't treat him or make any big diagnosis, but rather JUST hold him long enough for Mr. Simmons to get here.

He's been gone for 21 hours (nearly)..I'm sure he is very tired and needs a rest. The embassy will look into hospitalization.

He seemed (on the phone) confused about his whereabouts, but other than that he seemed ok....and able to talk, and not hurt or very distressed.

We should have him soon.

------------------

miraculously 20 minutes after he called me, the embassy had him. (JUST NOW).....they will take him to the embassy and then push for hospitalization.

Here's an interesting email I got from the embassy earlier today.

Dear Jimbo,

I will definitely share your email with the rest of the section. Thank you for taking your time to write it and to care about Jamaal and his family. Please understand that his case is a priority for us, as it has been since we first heard about him on Friday and throughout the weekend. Our Consul General has been informed of the situation.

This morning we filed a missing person's report with the police, and the police will post his picture and description around all police stations. Embassy staff also walked around the neighborhood looking for Jamaal.

I called his mother and gave her the same information. We wanted to check that the hospitals or police stations had not admitted him before calling her. We will continue to check with local hospitals and other facilities. We are also giving his name and photo to the internet cafes in the area in hopes that one of them will see Jamaal and contact us. His aunt said that Jamaal sent an email on Tuesday, at 4:57 am.

I will seriously look into the hospitalization option and try to convince Jamaal to be committed to a mental hospital. If you and his family could also try to convince him, we might succeed.

You raise a good point about the difficulty of cases involving mental health. Consular officers are not qualified to diagnose mental illness and are not given authority to compel hospitalization or treatment based on our observations. Furthermore, we are in a sovereign country and the local authorities are responsible for the decision to commit a person to an institution. As Jamaal had been evaluated at a hospital on Friday and Saturday and was released, it is clear that they did not find his condition serious enough to require hospitalization. When Jamaal is found again, we will attempt to contact a different hospital here in Seoul and see if they will evaluate him.

If I hear anything new, I will let you know.

that is definitely the result of your strong and well written letter, well done

dunno about the photo though Jimbo, doesn't the guy deserve to stay anonymous?

and I've just realised, you used his real name as well in your posts?

[jimbo]

He knows about ajarn,...(moments of clarity)..has seen me posting..and he allowed the photo to be shared.

He's still an adult (as of yet undiagnosed)...and he said "fine," when I asked him...

In essence, "If I want to share our pic with my forum buddies, he's got no problems."

BTW: His name is somewhat similar to "jamal" and he is from a place near to Atlanta.

[traveler2]

Jimbo,

You are a true humanitarian! I think a lot of people would not have done what you did. Nevermind all these idiots who are talking smack.

[jimbo]

Thanks Trav.

Welp, I just sat with Jamaal for a couple hours at the embassy. (for the first time in my life I entered a US embassy (off-hours) by car with a special code

Right about now he should be on his way to the airport with embassy staff. They will see him to the gate, give him a knockout pill right before they say goodbye (and an extra pill will be given to the flight crew). Prescribed by the embassy's appointed doctor.

So,...he'll fly alone which is unfortunate....but the crew will be briefed and his dad was recently denied an 'extra' emergency passport in D.C. It's a direct flight and obviously his family will be waiting for him in Atlanta.

He still seemed confused and spoke some nonsense, but he also had an air of relief and seemed aware of what the plan was.

I'll stay in touch with his family via email and advise them to get him to a good psychiatrist asap.

Thanks for all the support ya'll

Jammaal appreciates it to.

PS: The consulate general said (by phone) he wants to put me up for some sort of 'humanitarian service award.' It's conditional however on speaking at some symposium in a few months and agreeing to never publish anything negative about the US embassy Seoul.

Uhmmmm.....I dunno. The whole thing just seems kinda' hokey to me. I mean, yeh it was a burden and there were moments when it felt like the world was crumbling around me, but then again, now that it is over and he is safe, it doesn't seem like it was all that big a deal. I'm not sure 5 days of my life, some missed sleep or whatever is worth any hooplah....and most of all....these people!....I'm not so sure I want anymore contact with them in any form. hokey!

[kikiat]

Originally Posted by jimbo

Thanks Trav.

Welp, I just sat with Jamaal for a couple hours at the embassy. (for the first time in my life I entered a US embassy (off-hours) by car with a special code

Right about now he should be on his way to the airport with embassy staff. They will see him to the gate, give him a knockout pill right before they say goodbye (and an extra pill will be given to the flight crew). Prescribed by the embassy's appointed doctor.

So,...he'll fly alone which is unfortunate....but the crew will be briefed and his dad was recently denied an 'extra' emergency passport in D.C. It's a direct flight and obviously his family will be waiting for him in Atlanta.

He still seemed confused and spoke some nonsense, but he also had an air of relief and seemed aware of what the plan was.

I'll stay in touch with his family via email and advise them to get him to a good psychiatrist asap.

Thanks for all the support ya'll

Jammaal appreciates it to.

Good stuff, good to hear he's on his way home safe and sound

Originally Posted by jimbo

PS: The consulate general said (by phone) he wants to put me up for some sort of 'humanitarian service award.' It's conditional however on speaking at some symposium in a few months and agreeing to never publish anything negative about the US embassy Seoul.

sounds kinda desperate and patronizing at the same time, they want to cover their arse, and think let's shut him up by giving him some sort of award (you deserve it though, but there shouldn't be any conditions, if they want to give it, than give it because you did something good and not to shut you up.)