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Courtesy of the Dowd family
Charles Dowd, 69, a retired San Francisco firefighter and business owner en route to visit his son and family in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, was found dead in
Nebraska more than a week after he disappeared from an Amtrak train.
The body of a retired San Francisco firefighter who was reported missing after possibly falling off an Amtrak train he was riding from California to Chicago has been found in Nebraska, his family said.
The body of Charlie Dowd was found Friday in Haigler, Neb., an area between Fort Morgan, Colo., and McCook, Neb. The body was spotted by a BNSF railway worker who reported it to authorities.
Dowd, 69, boarded the California Zephyr on Sept. 12 in Emeryville, Calif., with plans to change trains in Chicago on Sept. 14 and continue to Montreal to visit his son. But when the train pulled into the Chicago station, Dowd was not aboard, yet his luggage, cell phone and medication were.
The family last heard from Dowd by cell phone on Sept. 13, his daughter, Jennifer Dowd, said.
Amtrak police had told the family that a passenger saw Dowd about 10 p.m. on Sept. 13 near a train door. Another passenger found an exterior train door ajar about 11 p.m. that night but didn’t report it to Amtrak officials until the next morning.
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The train conductor said a person who fit Dowd's description appeared disoriented and confused about his whereabouts, thinking he was in an apartment rather than on a train and that he needed to find the front door.
Based on those reports, the family and Amtrak coordinated searches with local police agencies focusing on the train route between Fort Morgan and McCook.
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On Friday, the family released this statement:
“While the family is devastated, they would like to express their gratitude for the many prayers, support, and messages posted to the Charlie Dowd Facebook page, and for the efforts of the many volunteers who have helped search for him this past week."
The family said more details about Dowd's death would be forthcoming soon.
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Leave a Comment:
don't tell me, let me guess, we'll hear about the lawsuit against the railroad shortly
LRC---A lawsuit is apparently, what you would do. My first thought was the poor man and family, a lawsuit didn't enter the picture. Your compassion is overwhelming.
LOL
How awful to lose this wonderful man in such a manner.Dowd spent his life helping to protect the community and keep others from harm. He deserved to spend his last moments on earth surrounded by those he dearly. May his family, all who loved him, whose lives were touched and cared for him, spent time searching, find peace and strength in the coming days. I do believe those we love and lose, we will be reunited with one day.
Why not left/right/center. The conductor knew he had a passenger on-board that was mentally in trouble and they didn't think about seating him where he could be watched. He was looking for the front door how bigger of a warning sign do you need to see danger here.
TOO BAD WE CAN"T pay more attention to people and step in and lean a helping hand before something like this happens.... My heart go out to the family....
My heart goes out to the family. This is a terrible tragedy.
I have to asked, were you on the train? You have no idea what went on during that trip. I know that the role of a conductor is one of being responsible for the entire train. He may have sat the passenger down, but he couldn't watch him as he had duties to perform.. In your opinion should the other passengers have kept an eye on him?
Lawsuit? WHAT lawsuit? I strongly suspect that the autopsy (and there will be one - these circumstances are suspicious) will show that Mr Dowd suffered a stroke that caused his confusion. The evidence for that will be in his brain. Even if you have a known risk for a cardiovascular event, meds plus lifestyle changes can't prevent a stroke or other cardiac event.
My condolences to the family. I'm certain if any of you had suspected that this might happen, he would not have been traveling by train or alone.
hey catma, did you know all your posts can be seen by everyone? shall I go back to all the stories you commented on and post the things you've said in the past that prove you really are just a hypocrite? Spare me your false morality and outrage, I know what you are, and so do you loser.
Compassion? In the news comments section?? What good is your typical 'thoughts' in this case? Your sarcasm is overwhelmingly misplaced.
Lawsuit, probably, if the doors that needed to be kept locked were left open. from the statements of co-passengers, it might also have something to do with the medications he might have taken, in which case, the family really doesn't have the moral rights to sue someone because he should not have been allowed to travel alone. But you never know what a 'smart' lawyer can do...
Rest In Peace. On his way to visit family and passed away like this. Sounds almost as if he had some type of medical event and was unaware of his surroundings. Prayers to the family.
Thats happened to me before .............blackout
It was while you were governor of Florida
Bullet171
No It was actually when I was the Drug Czar. I just couldnt resist all those cool mushrooms we would confiscate LOL
Check his meds. I had a guy tell me he couldn't remember his wifes name or their address after his doctor changing I think what was a blood pressure medication...
My 87 year old Mom is on blood pressure medication.She has to use a walker now because the medication makes her walk unstable.But lo and behold,she stand by Kaiser Permanente and won't stop taking it or have her dose adjusted.Could be this guy was stubborn and thinks his doctor knows more than his family.
Sad story.
Was he on the Silver Streak???
If he had these known medical issues, why didn't a family member travel with him, or at the very least, let the train personnel know so they could be aware and assist him? People are generous and I am certain they would have gone out of their way to make sure he arrived at his destination. The family, although devastated, perhaps could have acted in a more "guardian" type behavior and avoided the loss of this family member at this time.
Were they known medical issues. His son lives a long ways off.
It's also possible for medical problems to be silent and therefore, unknown. That can happen with hypertension (high blood pressure) and it can happen with diabetes and with other problems, too. In fact, it's not unusual for diabetes to be diagnosed AFTER a stroke or heart attack, or in tests leading up to cataract surgery.
o, the condition(s) for which he was taking meds may have had nothing to do with his demise. That will have to wait to be determined by the autopsy, and any death under suspicious circumstances means that there will be an autopsy.
He had diabetes. Surely you don't think diabetes was a reason for him to not travel alone. Before everyone puts blame on this grieving family, we should all ask why the doors on a speeding train just open that easily.
If people noticed that he seemed disoriented, someone should have stayed with him & notified staff immediately. There was another case of a man who's family was searching for him & he was seen on hotel cameras looking disheveled & sisoriented. He was walking past the front desk. The workers there noticed him & how he looked & did nothing. If people look like they need some kind of help, wouldn't you do something? We all should be our "brothers" keeper.
Judi,I agree but most people don't give a darn about anyone but themselves.
Looking disheveled and disoriented is not a crime. Being loud, rude or obnoxious will attract attention.
and then the family would sue because they treated him badly, what are they supposed to do, make a citizens arrest and lock him in a cabin?
I think it is a shame that someone didn't accompany this man on his trip especially that he was on medications and was diabetic and had been confused. The RR cannot be responsible for this poor soul but I wish someone in his family would have. What a awful way to die...folks...this nightmere will last for everyone's lifetime and "if I only" will be said..our older parents...God love them...we have to become their parents because giving them the freedom and ability to go as they want have to be looked at what any parent would do...it's tough and they sometimes think we are taking something away from them but it is only for their protection...how many of you remember those words we shared with them years ago when we were growing up..the tables are turned..it is our duty now to protect them.
It is a shame that family didn't accompany him, but your suggestion that they should have protected him is not necessarily fair either.
As a retired medic, I now work with the elderly. When alzheimers or dementia hits, the signs are not always noticed by someone with limited contact. If this man lived in CA and family was in Canada, perhaps their only contact was on the phone. They would have no way to know that he was a danger to himself until now. Sometimes the first symtoms include wandering off, confused...ordinarily to be found and returned safely home. Not this time, sadly.
RIP Mr. Dowd, sympathy to the family.
Kane - I agree with your comment but can you imagine the outrage by the family if the railroad had tried to intervene and taken him off the train?
You know, I don't know if they should have taken him off and notified family or, just made sure he arrived at the terminal he was destined to get off at. It is a shame and I am just wondering if a little more thought could not have spared him an untimely death. Maybe, between all of us, we have prevented this happening to someone else. If we did, thats a good thing. I mean no disrespect to the family. I am certain they are suffering not only from their loss, but maybe even some guilt. Have a good night "I can see the truth".
Dying is part of living. All must turn off the lights someday. May he visit his family and rest in peace.
Ambien
"The train conductor said a person who fit Dowd's description appeared disoriented and confused about his whereabouts, thinking he was in an apartment rather than on a train and that he needed to find the front door."
Based upon that statement, this will result in a negligence lawsuit due to the conductors failure to ensure passenger safety, which is a basic duty of all conductors.
The only ones negligent are his family that knew he had medication and that he easily became disoriented.Not one of them cared enough to accompany him on his trip.
I have to agree with BeeWaree as that the trains conductor after talking with this man should have seen the danger of what the man said to him and realized what could happen if the guy continued to look for a door after he left him.
If the guy is disorientated and looking for a door while on a moving train that to me is a clear sign of imminent danger in my opinion and I wish the conductor had stayed with this guy until at least he understood that he was indeed on a moving train and then came back later on to check on him or possibly even seen if he could have found someone to maybe stay with him for a short time at least until his thoughts cleared enough.
Whether or not the family sues the railroad is going to be tough question as I do not know what the law says about a conductors job and maybe the family will just let it go as it was just a tragic event.
I liked to wish the family my heart felt condolences on this mans tragic end as well, he sounded like one great man.
That should save CA about 2 million in not having to pay pension benefits
Condolences to his family and friends.
He no doubt died on impact.An earlier interview of his family stated that he was on medication and got disoriented easily.It's a shame that no family member accompanied him on this trip.My condolences to the family.
I missed that, sorry. At the very least they could have gotten ahold of the train company and arranged for him to have someone travel assist him. Like kids flying alone. Although that doesn't always work out either.
It's also possible that he went back to that door and at that moment suffered a fatal stroke or heart attack. Wait for the autopsy results.
Is there any chance this gentlemen had a drink after his evening meal just to relax before rest time and someone slipped something in his drink and after it took affect, offered to accompany him to his compartment and between cars, grabbed his wallet and shoved him out the door???
oh geez, I think you watch too much TV. I've ridden the Zephyr several times, among other Amtrak trains. I have never met anyone on a train trip, especially the longer routes, that wasn't nice, friendly, helpful. Even the teenagers reach out to help others, especially the elderly. After spending a couple of days with the same people, I've come out of some of these trips with what has turned out to be lasting friendships.
Instead of your theory, I tend to think maybe the gentleman was looking for the door to his COMpartment and ready to go to bed for the night, instead of looking for the door to get out of his Apartment. Too bad the conductor didn't take the time to try to understand completely what he needed, and maybe led him to his compartment to see if that's what it was. He may have been confused and disoriented simply because he headed toward the wrong end of the train looking for the sleeper car.
RIP Mr. Dowd. I pray your family finds peace and comfort in the following days. Condolensces.
I might also add that with all of the train trips I have taken, every conductor has been most helpful, and given the fact that each one has more than one car to tend to (but I really don't believe I've even seen one conductor tending to the entire train) do an exceptional job and as busy as they normally are, stay very friendly. There's only been one conductor that was unpleasant on a trip from Denver to Emeryville, CA (the end of the line I believe) that was very unfriendly, bitched about every single thing he did-so much so that every trip I've made via Amtrak since (that was 6 or 7 years ago) I've prayed that I would be lucky enough to have a nice trip without having to endure the wrath of that guy (and I never asked him for a thing, especially after listening to him bitching for the first couple of hours) He was so unpleasant it stressed me out and considered not travelling by train anymore, but hopefully the odds were in my favor since I haven't had him since. I thought about reporting him, but didn't. I really wish I had, and pray that because I didn't, he wasn't the conductor on Mr Dowd's trip. It wasn't laziness that was the reason I didn't report him. I thought maybe something justified his behavior, kind of, by thinking maybe he was dealing with some home-related problem (maybe his wife just left him, was cheating on him, whatev). After this, I'll do the reporting and let Amtrak deal with the reason. I'm just not really one to complain, just take things as they come, but now this will weigh on me until the truth comes out.
I agree with someone else's post. For elderly people, perhaps sending a buddy passenger with a person might have helped with this situation. I'd be more than willing to travel with such a person that needs help (even though I JUST had a birthday that officially made me a senior citizen myself), but for that type of agreement, maybe a person's family couldn't afford the extra fare for a "person sitter", but if they choose to not take time off from work to accompany their loved one perhaps that could be an alternative for them. I think I'll start checking Craigslist (I hate that site, never go there) to see if anyone has at least made an effort to somewhat protect their travelling loved one.
There will definately be a suit. As most know the conductor not the enginer is in charge of the train. If the man was disoriented and was looking for a door to get out the conductor should have interviened. It may not have been wise to send grandpa halfway accross the US on a train by himself. He will be remembered by his family as the medically deficient gentleman they put on the train alone.
The one conductor one the train is responsible for ALL of the passengers. Did you really want him/her to ignore the rest of them? Just think about the potential for lawsuits under those circumstances where there may have been absolutely nothing that a conductor could have done to help this man.
Why are so many people here jumping to conclusions?
Any chance before this gentleman retired for the evening he may have been having a drink, befriended a stranger which isn't unusual on a cross country trip, the stranger slipped something in his drink, waited for it to start taking effect, offered to walk him back to his bunk and between cars took his wallet and shoved him off the platform?
The man was probably so disgusted with this country he chose to die rather than face the bull@!$%# that lies ahead. God bless you Charles!!
The conductor should have done something to help the disoriented man.
Ambien?
I am sorry for the family's loss. We should consider this a reminder that our seniors might need a little more attention, medically as they age; and when traveling alone it is good to even possibly buddy-up with another traveler. I am not quite this gentleman's age but when I did travel frequently I found it easy to meet other single travelers and we did seem to keep an eye out for one another. If traveling alone at any age I suppose that would be good advice. Back then I never really encountered any questionable behavior from my fellow travelers. You might be surprised at the number of pick-pockets in train stations though. My experiences with this problem were mostly in Europe though.
God Bless this man. A lesson to be learned here - Don't let your family members travel if they are having issues with new or existing medication without someone going with them.
My thoughts exactly...why was he traveling alone. Unless his family wasn't aware of his condition.
My condolences to his family and friends.
God Bless
Please, if you don't know what happened to the man just say so. Don't make silly statements like maybe he fell off the train. Maybe if he was 3 years old I could believe that.
A man jumped in with a tiger today ,he was not 3 either
Sounds like the guy was sleep walking. Would be around the right time of night for someone that age to be in bed and sleeping. Could of taken his night meds to put him nighty nighty and there ya go. Just sayin....
Happened years ago to me ,my wife said I got up to take a pee but made a left instead of a right and peed in the spare room exactly where the toilet would be but on the wall .Good thing their weren't any house guests at the time. She got out of bed to see what was going on and I was making a motion like I was flushing the toilet.
He may have doing the same thing. Very sad !!