Malabar man walks in on his own wake

A Malabar man who fled from the Port-of-Spain General Hospital unknown to nurses, received the shock of his life when he telephoned relatives, only to be told that he had been declared dead by someone at the hospital. Irving Samuel shocked relatives who were mourning his death at a wake, when he called them to say that he was stranded at City Gate and needed them to pick him up. At first, relatives believed it was a prank call but then decided to check out the information. They found Samuel, very much alive, sitting at City Gate in a daze. The slip-up occurred at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital when Samuel left his hospital bed unknown to the nurses, and fled the hospital.

Another patient with a striking resemblance of Samuel, who took the opportunity to use Samuel’s bed, died, and was mistakenly believed to be Samuel. Samuel’s relatives were informed via telephone that he had died.  No one at the hospital bothered to verify if the dead person was in fact Samuel. The body of the man believed to be Samuel was also tagged as Irving Samuel and taken to the mortuary. When relatives of that dead man went to visit him at hospital, he could not be accounted for. When they were contacted by Samuel’s family, it was only then that they discovered the slip-up. Hospital officials refused to divulge anything about the incident yesterday. Samuel, who celebrated his 35th birthday on Monday, said the entire incident has left him in a daze, but he would like to assure everyone that he is alive.

Samuel said the drama started on December 20, when he fell 20 feet off  a scaffolding, and was taken to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital. He sustained head injuries and was diagnosed with brain damage. Samuel also underwent a cat scan and other tests. He said he cannot remember exactly what happened, but said he ended up at City Gate. He telephoned his home and told relatives that he was at City Gate and wanted to come home. He then hung up and waited. On his arrival at his Malabar Branch Road home, he saw several people gathered drinking coffee, who told him that someone at the Port-of-Spain General Hospital had called to say that he (Samuel) had died. Samuel said as a result of his injuries, he went straight to his bedroom and slept for several days.

He said he has not yet fully recovered. His mother, Gloria Samuel, 76, said she had gone to visit her daughter in New York and returned to Piarco, only to be told by one of her sons that Samuel was dead. “I started bawling, unable to believe the news, but when we got the phone call from Irving it seems that my prayers were answered,” said the mother of 13. She added that she also thought that the call was a prank, but when she saw her son walk through the yard she rushed forward and hugged him. “It was the best Christmas gift I have ever received, declared the ecstatic woman.

Checks with the Port-of-Spain General Hospital revealed that Samuel left the hospital unknown to nurses. He reportedly climbed through a window and fled the hospital. Another patient took the opportunity to use the bed previously occupied by Samuel. That patient died shortly after occupying the bed. It is unclear who determined that the patient was Samuel, but the call to Samuel’s home declaring him dead came from a nurse. Samuel’s relatives said they will not pursue the matter since they are grateful that he is alive.