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My Old Friend Is Disturbingly Missing In Brooklyn or Lower East SIde, NYC -- Update: John Has Been Found and Is Safe (1 Viewer)

rockaction

Footballguy
So an old friend of mine from college and early adulthood has gone missing in the Bedford Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn. He's a balloon man who works for tips. Not known for being a great area, it was the last place he was spotted. This was ten days ago, and the people that know him best are putting him on flyers and broadcasting him as missing. He has a daughter (I am not sure about anything else or any connections he may or may not have). He goes by John Murdock. His real name is John Andrews. Over the years, he has been in FHM Magazine, Playgirl, and has had his balloons featured at MoMA (Or The Whitney?). As it is, he does this now. He's a true beatnik with a purpose to trust in people against all odds.

Anybody who knows anything for any reason please PM me. Anybody with any inkling is encouraged to PM me aside from schtick, please. Godspeed, John.
 
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Thanks, BB. It’s our hope that maybe responsibilities got the better of him and he fell off the wagon or some such thing, but the people who he checks in with daily or most days are worried enough to take out big “MISSING” signs, so everyone is worried. It’s been ten days, so that alone is troubling.
 
Oh man, that’s awful and scary. Do you have anything you can share in terms of flyers/posters or something that might give more info on him? I have close friends in Brooklyn that I’d like to provide this, among others.

krista4,

Thank you. I'll try and pull it from off of my phone. All I have is a facebook-looking thing with the announcement. I can try and imgur it. Perhaps when my friend who has told me about this wakes up, I can ask him to provide me with some pictures, flyers, links, etc.

Thanks so much for offering to help get the word out. You knowing people in Brooklyn would be a unique help. I'll hop on it tomorrow and see if I can't get a hold of the person who told me about this and sent the missing notice along. I'm sort of terrified for the worst right now. I hope this is just a mid-life crisis where he's flown the coop, because the alternatives are terrible. It's terrible no matter how you slice it.
 
I should say that the last time we hung out, he was living in the Lower East Side way downtown and was fairly well-known on the beatnik artist's circuit. He was down by St. Mark's Tavern and the adjacent spaces and he was with a girl named Penny who ran a sort of feminist comedy troupe, IIRC. Most of her friends had been gentrified out to Queens. John would get moved out, too, just we had lost touch and I'm not sure where he wound up living, what his living arrangement was, etc.

There might be people from that LES area that know of him or his new whereabouts, but he's missing, and that's all I know right now about it. I would have liked to been on this ten days ago, but apparently an artist's grace in terms of coming and going is not so aligned with the timeline of what he seems to be up against right now. Once it's in the authorities' hands, there's only so much anybody can do or so much that anybody is willingly sharing.

Peace to everybody reading this that got a chill or a sympathy pang. I'm sorry to do that, actually, as I'm sitting here at 2 A.M. wide awake from the news. I understand and if this is disturbing, I'm truly sorry. This is just a Hail Mary for information. It's the best I can do. It's just...this seems bad.
 
I'd suggest focusing attention on New York hospitals - especially those in the areas he typically spent time. The wife of a former classmate of mine went missing last year. All they knew was she had had some sort of medical problem while in Miami airport. He and his wife both have huge social networks, so tens of thousands of people were aware of her disappearance. It still took 2-3 days to track down the fact that she was in a hospital in the area, and it sounded like most of the hospitals do almost nothing to track who their patients are...so in many cases it would take calls to numerous parts of a hospital to know whether she might be there.
 
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I’m really sorry, rock. I’m not sure how much help the police would be with so much else going on in the city, but have they been contacted - they might have some suggestions too. I assume all family/friends/acquaintances have been contacted?

Praying he is found safe and sound.
 
rock, I hope your friend is found safe ASAP. Everyone must be so frantic and sick with worry. I pray for a positive homecoming. 🙏
 
I'd suggest focusing attention on New York hospitals

That went through my mind. Thank you for cementing it there. I'm not sure what everybody that is close to him is focused on. I'm away from the main group of people that are doing this. I don't even really have a lifeline to them, which is why finding out is so difficult. I'm really a neutered and neutral bystander right now.
 
Really sorry to see this rockaction. Can’t even imagine how hard this must be for his family and friends.

Sounds stupid because I’m nowhere near that area, but if there’s anything I can do to help please let me know.

Sending good vibes for a happy ending here

🙏
 
I’m really sorry, rock. I’m not sure how much help the police would be with so much else going on in the city, but have they been contacted - they might have some suggestions too. I assume all family/friends/acquaintances have been contacted?

I'm hoping. I really don't know enough. Last night I spoke to a friend and he said that John went missing. I didn't think enough of it when he told me until he sent along the documentation of him missing. Then it hit me that this was serious. We're not in college hopping cars to go to Florida anymore. He has a daughter to come to, etc. Just I originally didn't get all the information because it hadn't struck me.

I'll try today to call the guy who called me and see what he knows, but that's probably the best I can do in terms of having an impact on this.
 
Really, this could be so many things it's intimidating. All I know is that the people close to him are worried, it's been ten days, and I'm having thoughts of "Have you gone to the morgue?" in my head. No fun for anyone who knows right now.
 
Rock... this cat seems to have spent time in my hood over the years- will be keeping an eye peeled and hoping for the best for him.

Was specifically going to ask you and Bobby Layne to maybe keep your eyes open for any street performer doing balloon animals. Maybe check if that wasn't him. Thanks, Flop. Hey, I know things are rough right now. I hope they turn out for the best, bud. Take care of yourself and your family especially. Thoughts go out to you, too. I didn't have any good advice in your thread, so I sort of just sent vibes along, but know that I'm thinking of you. I've spent time down there and watched it get gentrified and saw my own friends getting pushed further and further out. I think that can't be helping the dynamic of his existence any.
 
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Sorry about your friend, Rock. The not knowing can feel overwhelming - hope you get some good news soon.

Ugh so sorry to hear this Rock. I can’t even imagine the feeling. Thoughts and prayers to you and your friend.

Damn, sorry to hear this. I looked him, interesting guy.

rock, I hope your friend is found safe ASAP. Everyone must be so frantic and sick with worry. I pray for a positive homecoming. 🙏

Thanks, guys. I really do appreciate the thoughts -- and in some cases looking him up to gather maybe an idea or picture. Let's hope his family and us are blessed with good news.
 
Rock... this cat seems to have spent time in my hood over the years- will be keeping an eye peeled and hoping for the best for him.

Was specifically going to ask you and Bobby Layne to maybe keep your eyes open. Thanks, Flop. Hey, I know things are rough right now. I hope they turn out for the best, bud. Take care of yourself and your family especially. Thoughts go out to you, too. I didn't have any good advice in your thread, so I sort of just sent vibes along, but know that I'm thinking of you. I've spent time down there and watched it get gentrified and saw my own friends getting pushed further and further out. I think that can't be helping the dynamic of his existence any.
I think @BobbyLayne is way out the other side of Brooklyn these days... but probably knows people in the right places through his work in the kitchens/ministries to get word and eyes out.

bedstuy is one of the spots I started looking for an apartment for us. like the EVil of the old days.

eta: and had meant to say that if we have to run out there, I'll keep an eye out of course. will be taking floppinha to stuff in Williamsburgh in the coming weeks... but that doesn't help right now.
 
Seriously hoping something snapped and we find him in a few days. Then they can address why he might have snapped.

But he's such a level-headed dude for a beatnik-type guy that I don't see that happening. It seems off and odd, though I have no idea how the pressures of family might have weighed on him or his psyche.
 
I think @BobbyLayne is way out the other side of Brooklyn these days... but probably knows people in the right places through his work in the kitchens/ministries to get word and eyes out.

bedstuy is one of the spots I started looking for an apartment for us. like the EVil of the old days.

Gotcha, man. Good luck with everything regarding housing. Be safe, be careful. The East Village of even the newer days could still be a little rougher. Got my car windows smashed in there about the year of 2011 or so visiting none other than John way down in the Village where the junkies still roamed at night. It was a longer trip back to CT than I imagined with my windows misssing. Yum!

Bed Stuy itself was in so many rap songs in the early aughts for its reputation that I worry something befell him, but imagine that it too was gentrified a bit. And that's relevant to him missing, because I think everyone is trying to put together possibilities of what happened.
 
I think @BobbyLayne is way out the other side of Brooklyn these days... but probably knows people in the right places through his work in the kitchens/ministries to get word and eyes out.

bedstuy is one of the spots I started looking for an apartment for us. like the EVil of the old days.

Gotcha, man. Good luck with everything regarding housing. Be safe, be careful. The East Village of even the newer days could still be a little rougher. Got my car windows smashed in there about the year of 2011 or so visiting none other than John way down in the Village where the junkies still roamed at night. It was a longer trip back to CT than I imagined with my windows misssing. Yum!

Bed Stuy itself was in so many rap songs in the early aughts for its reputation that I worry something befell him, but imagine that it too was gentrified a bit. And that's relevant to him missing, because I think everyone is trying to put together possibilities of what happened.
Evil is a joke... no joke. more likely to get into brawl with some bros over your football jersey than any kind of real trouble.

BedStuy... I only know from visiting randomly a few times over the last couple years... more spread out than the EVil and more industry jammed up to residential, but has the same vibe of old-time residents bustling with the newer vanguard types of folk moving in (the Johns of this world) and the more gentrified (but still crusty) folk like us following them in. great energy there that the Evil has lost. but also felt and discussed with residents some of that fine line of vanguard/safety that you get when new bumps up against old, and a little bit of money bumps up against none.

but the city has long felt like you needed to put yourself into a bad situation in a bad place at a bad time for bad things to happen. the bad things don't really come looking for you these days like they did in the old
 
but considering this was his stomping grounds for a while... I will most definitely keep an eye peeled in case he had a snap, and just found his way here.
 
but the city has long felt like you needed to put yourself into a bad situation in a bad place at a bad time for bad things to happen. the bad things don't really come looking for you these days like they did in the old

I hadn't feared for my safety there since '89 or so, but I was just a tourist at all times.

but considering this was his stomping grounds for a while... I will most definitely keep an eye peeled in case he had a snap, and just found his way here.

Thanks, man. I'm hoping it was just that.

I just checked Facebook to see his last post. 2018 so no help there. I don't know what he had moved on to otherwise in terms of Social Media, so that's sort of a dead end on this end.
 
Last seen just down the street from my house in Brooklyn. I've sent the flyer on to my tenants and neighbors. Hoping for the best here.

Thank you so much, Nick. Words can't describe it. I know you're a resident/landlord there. Thank you, brother. That got me to tear a bit. Let's hope something happens because of it.
 
Crazy. I've asked my friend if he can't give me a call with maybe more information. It's 9:00 A.M. PST, so I'll be able to update any information in probably a few hours. Until then, thanks for the well-wishes and thoughts -- and some help -- all of which can't get enough love :wub: from me to express adequately.
 
Thoughts, prayers and positive vibes for you and your buddy @rockaction . I really wish there was something more I could offer up to be of assistance in this manner but until I can think of anything—you do have my strongest of prayers.
 
Oh man. Sorry to hear this. I was like "What's a balloon man" so I googled your friend and read an article about him. I thought he would be older for some reason. Seems like a good and interesting dude. I hope he tuns up and is safe.
 
Thanks, everybody, for everything. Right now I don't have much in the way of updates. I reached out to the friend that told me about it. He's been in touch with a bunch of our old friends (whose contact info I don't have) and nobody has heard anything. As of right now, it's just that facebook posting (along with another) with the imgur link I had that says he's missing.

I do not know if authorities have been contacted, and do not know if they're checking hospitals and morgues. I pray the people he is close to right now have gone this route, as time is of the essence in these matters. And Bozeman is right, getting the word out far and wide is all I can do at this point.

krista, I've posted an imgur photo at https://imgur.com/a/qot6e81

He can be found Googling "John Murdock, Brooklyn, balloons" at Google. There are several articles with pictures of him from the 2015-esque time period.

Thanks for your help no matter how it turns out or what you're able to do or why this happened.

Shared with my Brooklyn friends, too.

Thank you, krista. Who knows? It may really lead to something. Perhaps this is a misunderstanding and he's just on a break from everything and I've -- along with friends -- misinterpreted everything and somebody will see him in his stomping grounds. Thanks again for the help.

The story actually gets worse. My friend has sent along another picture with Murdock missing as of 1/2/23 and being up from Florida with a van that is now abandoned in NY where he parked, according to this. According to this, NYC police are refusing to file a missing persons report.

This story gets worse by the minute. He was apparently living in Tampa/St. Pete and visiting NY. Oh man.

Sorry to have dragged you all into this. I fear this isn't going to end well.
 
I’m more and more getting the feeling something bad happened or he’s intentionally getting away from something he doesn’t like. Either way, it’ll be hard to find him.

Unless he starts ballooning.
 
Old story. He was once involved with a woman -- a very attractive woman that put him up and gave him really everything he needed. But, like all things in John's world, this had to come to a close. "Baby," he told her, "I've gotta follow the balloons." That meant out of Jersey and into the Bowery, where he then resided.

I'm not making any of this up. If it seems absurd, it is. Balloons and John. John and the balloons. I once sent him a Donald Barthelme short story called "The Great Hug." It was about a balloon man. You can find it here. I'm not making any of this up. Barthelme is a famous post-modernist, and I thought the balloon story fitting. He never got back to me about it.


"One day the Balloon Man will meet the Pin Lady. It's in the cards, in the stars, in the entrails of sacred animals. Pin Lady is a woman with pins stuck in her couture, rows of pins and pins not in rows but placed irregularly here a pin there a pin, maybe eight thousand pins stuck in her couture or maybe ten thousand pins or twelve thousand pins. Pin Lady tells the truth. The embrace of Balloon Man and Pin Lady will be something to see. They'll roll down the hill together, someday. Balloon Man's arms will be wrapped around Pin Lady's pins and Pin Lady's embrangle will be wrapped around Balloon Man's balloons -- even the yellow balloons. They'll roll down the hill together. Pin Lady has the Pin of I Violently Desire. She has the Pin of Crossed Fingers Behind My Back, she has the Pin of Soft Talk, she has the Pin of No More and she is rumored to have the Pin of the Dazed Sachem's Last Request She's into puncture. When puncture becomes widely accepted and praised, it will be the women who will have the sole license to perform it, Pin Lady says."
 
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So if anybody sees him or hears about him, tell him Stroker from college sent this along, story in tow. That was my awful nickname then. He'll know who it is.
 
I can't imagine the agony this must be, Rock. Really sorry and I sure hope there is a positive development soon. Your friend is really fortunate to have a buddy like you.
 

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