If your a US Citizen , don't expect any help from your Embassy !!

[sjg-uk]

23.00 hrs, last Wednesday (22nd Sept'10) I had a call from an English friend of mine, to say an American Citizen needed assistance, he was sat on a park bench, ill and destitute.
We arrived to find that he had been in hospital and had discharged himself because of bad medical treatment and had lost all his money, passport etc.
We took him to a hotel, as I had no empty apartments that night, we paid for a room, gave him some money for food and checked he was ok. The next day we contacted our local private hospital and took him there.
The hospital doctors informed us that without medical treatment , this guy would be dead within the week.
He had no money and after speaking to him at length we found out that there was no way we will be repaid for any of this. We swallowed this and agreed to continue with the treatment.
I contacted the American Embassy on Thursday and explained this guys situation. At first they said as he had no medical insurance , there was nothing they can do !
Friday I looked at the information on the US Government website, it stated that they can offer help to ''Destitute and Medical Assistance'' US citizens. So armed with this information I again rang them and asked them why is it up to 2 British men to pay and assist a US citizen in trouble ! 
I was told by them that someone from the Embassy would contact him that day , also the Embassy said they would contact the hospital directly. I gave them all the contact names and numbers.
Today is Monday 27th September and no one has called either the hospital or their citizen. Are they waiting for him to die and ship him home in a box !
I have called the US Embassy again this morning , to be told that they filed a report last week and that is it.
So moral of the story, if your a yank in trouble in Ukraine, don't look to your Embassy , look to the Brits, Ukrainians in fact anyone but your own country !

[Shadow]

Did yo go to the hospital where he discharged himself from in order to retieve his posessions ? Mioght be the first place to look.

Regarding the US Embassy, I hope they will come around, as I know cases where they have been too much supporting their citizens...

[GoodOlBoy]

Yep.....sounds like the new "Obama Healthcare Plan" has started to kick in at the U.S. Embassies! :evil:


GOB

[kievstar]

I think we need some more facts as what this guy name is and is he really a citizen.  Does he have any family members in the USA?

This guy really needs to have one of his family members call the government in the USA. 

A little strange this guy is hanging out in Ukraine and did not contact family members in USA.  Not sure what this guy was doing in Ukraine.  If he was looking for a wife another reason to use Eduard or Jack in case of a crisis someone has your back. 

[tim 360]

Why would some sick, broke American without a Passport and Travel Insurance hang out it Ukraine?  Something isn't right here.

[viking]

This whole thing is very strange. How did he come to be in this situation? Personally, I would take him over to the US Embassy, drop him off there, and let them deal with it. As much as you seem to want to take care of this guy, which is a wonderful thing, he is not your problem. If he is an American citizen, the embassy can access his name and provide him with a passport, some money, maybe even medical treatment and passage home. But phone calls will not do it. You need to get him there in person, and have him speak directly to the American Citizens Services (ACS).

[GQBlues]

sjk-uk

LOL...how do you even know he's American? (he may well be a Democrat !!! Doesn't mean he's American - let alone a citizen, you know). Have you contacted ACORN?

Yeah, strange to me too that you're able to find your way to a US Embassy and an alleged US citizen have difficulty doing so...

[facetrock]

 That sounds like that Gothman guy...Last anyone heard he was stranded in Ukraine.

[thompsongunner06]

Best way is to come into the US from Mexico side,,,then you get all the free health care. If you are a female and preggo thats even better!!! The US loves to take care of illegals but not Citizens.