I’ve heard this case recounted so many times through the true crime community but this is easily one of the most respectful and genuinely helpful recountings
ED nurse here. I know this is almost by the by, but I also agree that it’s very likely he had an undiagnosed head injury. The trouble he got into that burst his eardrum might have come along with less visible contusions, and if he had a worsening subdural hematoma (brain bleed) that nobody picked up, that would certainly account for the increasing changed mental state. It could even account for blown pupils, which is something a casual bystander might easily confuse for both eyes. And it sounds like he wasn’t able to get much more than a cursory exam at the hospital…if that is the case, and it was getting worse at that rate, then it’s likely that he’s unfortunately lying somewhere in the forests around the airport.
This is one of those completely baffling cases that sticks with you... I think about this one all the time. How does an adult just vanish into thin air??
Lars was doing very fine you guys tend to lean to a direction very easy. His mother said he was very fine and leveled. He could explain things to her very well too. They wanted to make you guys think that he went crazy because of drugs. He ran for his safety for the reason they were after him, probably because he was a spy they thought. Which was wrong, and later put under the carpet. Police found him most probably same day.
I'm from Bulgaria and I have heard so much about this case and keep watching videos about it because it really makes me awake at night and scares me. Sadly, I think that he got into the wrong crowd and it didn't turn out good for him. It can happen a lot in my country, a lot of crimes get covered by police and people who money who pay the police. Hope his family is able to find answers but I am not sure they ever will..
EVERY time I've seen this story, it breaks my heart to think of his mother watching her baby boy run, panicked, and her not being able to help him 😢😢 Prayers to her and other loved ones, alwsys!
Thank you for covering this story as respectfully as always. As a young German male around his age who even shares his first name this case has always stuck with me personally, putting myself in his shoes in a way. Especially the interviews with his mother just showing utter confusion and sadness about her young son who was simply lost to the unknown, slipped away abroad with nothing she could do for him. Any mother's nightmare.
Another candle lit for Lars Mittank. Hearing someone's story told- especially this well, and so compassionately- makes us all feel more connected. You like to think we're all searching for those who are lost.
Hi Georgia, I am from Germany, and have been following this case for a number of years. it was even on "XY... unsolved" which is a big national show on German TV that has existed for like 50 years and where police go with their desperate cases. Really well done on this one :) Some facts you didn't mention, maybe because they were in German when you did the research, were for example that the airport doctor changed his police statement several times so he does not seem trustworthy in my opinion. Bulgarian police were described as uncooperative as well in some videos I saw, as, according to the mother, when they handed over her son's things, the half-empty Cefzil 500 blister was missing, although it was mentioned in a list the private investigator had seen before. Which brings me to the next point, the mother had even hired a private investigator from Germany who tried to find Lars in Bulgaria but all police apparently did was try to keep him from finding things. To me, it seems that there was something really sketchy going on that police and or government officials are trying to cover up. Maybe Lars was not that paranoid after all? in any case I really really liked this video and your conclusions on this, it was one of the best videos I saw on the topics. The German youtuber Insolito made a very good one, too, if I remember correctly it's where I got some of the above-mentioned info from. All the best from Cologne xx
This one is so strange because realistically an airport is one of the SAFEST places you could possibly be, especially post 9/11. All of the security screenings ensuring there are no weapons in the building and help is easy to find if you need it in the form of security guards and police. It doesn’t make any sense to run away from that safety. I think he had some kind of mental health malfunction and got lost and sadly died out in nature.
@@hannahcollings6358 There definitely are cracks in the system, persons who are coerced into compliance or who may not even know they’re being trafficked are different than an adult man of sound mind dropping all of his luggage and money, and then running outside when he was already past security and had a legitimate ticket home. Yes bad things can still pass through airports but it’s safer from immediate physical danger than being alone outside without any of your belongings or means to take care of yourself.
@@BJ-yy6ei As a passenger who was already past the security clearance, who ISNT doing shady stuff himself, he was in a safer place than running away into the Bulgarian wilderness with no money or means to call for help. Maybe I’m the wrong one here but in this scenario I would much rather be alone in an airport with a valid ticket home as opposed to alone on the streets.
i’m from germany, and i it’s WILD to see you cover a case with these familiar topics. like it’s always kind of ‘far away’ when you’re talking about american or even british cases.
I agree with the head trauma theory. my husband had a bad bike accident where he was knocked unconscious for several minutes, and for several days afterward his behavior a little strange and he also has no memory of the accident as well. Brain injuries are very serious and it surprisingly doesn’t take much to cause one. I think Lars was probably very confused and perhaps ran off only to perish in the forest somewhere 😢
I think this theory is likely too. I'm pretty sure that a general blow to the head has to be really hard to also burst someone's ear drum. Google says this can happen if there is a fracture in the skull. That's some major head trauma. These kinds of injuries can also temporarily (maybe permanently...?) disable/alter pupil responses. This can cause pupils to be two different sizes, slow to shift between light and dark, or constant dilated pupils. The doctor said Lars had noticeably dilated pupils. I wonder if any of the medical providers in Bulgaria did something to evaluate for head injury. It seems like some type of skull imaging would have been helpful. It could have caught any skull fractures, and then maybe the brain part of the injury would have been taken more seriously. However, I don't know about the medical systems in Bulgaria. Are they considered to be good? Do they have translators? P.S. I hope you all are finding peace and healing after everything with your husband.
@@raidenyvelina8558 From what I understand, there aren't great options for diagnosing the damage head injuries have caused for a person's brain. It's hard to image/assess the soft tissue part of the equation.
Sorry, last thing. I keep remembering things that I should have added. Oopsies. I believe that brain injuries can also warp sensory input. Things don't look, sound, taste, feel the same. That alone would be distressing.
Lars was doing very fine you guys tend to lean to a direction very easy. His mother said he was very fine and leveled. He could explain things to her very well too. They wanted to make you guys think that he went crazy because of drugs. He ran for his safety for the reason they were after him, probably because he was a spy they thought. Which was wrong, and later put under the carpet. Police found him most probably same day.
sadly, I agree with the brain injury idea. my brother got a TBI but didn't understand the severity, and Lars' behavior reminds me a lot of my brother's actions following the injury. my brother ended up passing away a few hours later because the TBI resulted in a brain bleed that no one, including my brother, knew was going on. seems like Lars may have had a similar situation. TBIs are also one of the most common ways for young men to pass away. my heart is with Lars' family
Thanks for another great video, Georgia. Lars's case definitely sticks with you. I was wondering if you'd please consider covering Waltham Forest Man (as he's called on Locate International, Case 16-001186 on the UK Missing Persons Unit). It's a bizarre John Doe case as there are pictures of him alive and he seemed to have been known in the area. (Apologies if you have covered him already, I had a look and search but didn't see it).
It seems like Lars's paranoia started before the medication. He told his friends he believed that the football fans had hired the men that he got into the fight with, which would just not make logical sense. I think it's entirely possible he had a psychotic break, possibly brought on by the stress of the fight. If he was already pre-disposed for a psychotic condition the stress may have been enough to set it off.
This is such a strange case. I don’t even know what to make of it. His poor mother! Thank you as always, for covering cases like this one. I really hope it gets solved one day soon.
Best coverage of this case I’ve seen! I thought I knew everything but there’s so many details I’d never heard and I usually find this case so confusing but you’ve told this story so well and clearly
This is one of the cases that really sticks with me, maybe because I’ve been through that airport a few times. I really hope his family get answers one day.
I remember first seeing the clip of Lars running out of the airport not long after it happened, and I always wondered what the story was. I hope for his family's sake that even if he's not okay, they do find out what happened. Nothing is worse than not knowing.
My theory now is that it was the head injury _and_ the prescription that caused him to run. But after that? No clue. He could have been disorientated enough that someone could have taken advatage of that and killed and or kidnapped him. I also wonder why that extra footage hadn't been released.
There could be something more specific on it. Like maybe he had an interaction with somebody and they don’t want people calling in being like “THAT WAS ME”. So like just keeping certain details of a case to themselves so that if somebody comes forward with those details they know they’re legit
My aunt was fine growing up but developed schizophrenia in her mid 20s when her son was hit by a car. She ended up having to be hospitalized for most of her life. It sounds like something along this line could have happened to Lars.
This is such a weird case. And as a mom I would have told him to go get on a train to get home. It’s like 10 hours between Bulgaria and Germany, and he would have been home. His mother must be so messed up by all of this. It’s all just so strange.
I don't think it's possible to get to Germany from Varna by train. The bus could have been an option. I used to live in Sofia in 2012-2013 and I think you could only get to Romania by train.
I've looked into the topic a lot and it seems the risk of psychotic breaks increases drastically when you are in a completely unfamiliar place alone. Lars was already under a lot of stress compound with being alone and prescribed medication he wasn't used to, so I think psychotic break is the most likely.
I've had 2 burst eardrums, and let me tell you, they are not fun. They completely throw off your equilibrium you're dizzy and in pain and it's one of the weirdest things I've ever experienced
This is one of those cases where i keep stopping the video to research something. I have fell down so many rabbit holes whilst trying to finish this vid. (i think a few maps would be a good addition to future cases of similar nature ) All and all this was really well done.
I had a psychotic episode as a side effect from a medication a few years ago. Think Alice in Wonderland but scary. If this poor dude had something similar happen to him, I feel so so sorry for him! 😢
I really hope it wasn’t psychosis, but it’s a potential in this case. I totally agree with the Alice in Wonderland but scary… I’ve been there too. It’s like being in the Upside Down from Stranger Things!
this happened to a relative of mine recently, apparently as a result of stress. I won't go into details about how he got there but he ended up in hospital, and is thankfully doing much better now. From the outside, it looked quite similar to Lars' paranoia, but from my relative's POV it was just how you and the above commenter described - a terrifying Alice in Wonderland. Thinking everything was a plot against him. If that is what Lars went through, I can't imagine the fear and panic he must have experienced. I hope someday his family gets answers.
I remember that footage floating around the internet when it first happened. I hope his family get some answers and closure soon.. just a sad and strange story.
Hi, not Bulgarian, but from Eastern Europe, and one thing I can tell you for sure is that people from the west think this area is way more dangerous than it actually is. Especially for tourists who have no ties with the underground or whatever, the danger of getting mugged is pretty plausible, but kidnapping a German tourist and making him a drug mule does not make a lot of sense. Also the idea that Bulgarians wouldn't have the internet or phones in 2014 is pretty funny but also a little bit rude. Just because it's a small town where people don't speak English doesn't mean it's the 17th century. Personally I think it was some combination of brain injury/drugs/mental illness, probably made worse by being alone in a foreign country.
Head injuries can be completely life changing. Loads of serial killers have reported head trauma in their early years before they began killing. My guess is that the fight did indeed contribute to his bizzare behavior but yeah... where did he go when he ran????
Hi Georgia I think it would be more accurate to query first episode psychosis than schizophrenia. That can be a symptom of multiple mental illnesses and only a third of people with first episode psychosis go on to develop a long term mh problem like schizophrenia, bipolar or schizoaffective disorder. It's also incredibly rare for people with psychosis to actually forget who they are and this is often way more indicative of organic (physical) brain changes as seen in traumatic brain injury, delirium tremens or dementia
I just recently flew with an ear infection and I can confirm that was one of the worst pains of my life 😭 it’s possible that he saw someone who looked like one of the guys who attacked him at the airport and panicked, fleeing. His poor mother man, he was so close to getting home 😢
I’ve been on an antibiotic that made me hallucinate. I thought I was floating abs couldn’t work out where in the living room I was. I also started to see skulls on peoples faces on the tv. Was exceedingly weird but I wasn’t scared just incredibly confused.
My thoughts, heart and prayers to the family. My prayers is they find answers and get there son back. I can’t even imagine the pain they are experiencing that is never ending.
Many years ago I was playing wow with a guy who had gone to some country in Europe (he was from Sweden) and he had had his first ever psychotic episode during the travels and he went missing for quite a while, I don't remember if he was gone for months or longer than that. He got diagnosed with schizophrenia when he was brought home. Another online friend was working in a different European country for a while, he got sick, I think he didn't get proper help right away and he ended up suffering from some kind of brain damage from whatever he had. I hope Lars is found alive sooner or later. Maybe he's roaming around in some random European country.
I'm a research geek re: pharmaceutical meds. My mother had a rare terminal disease. She experienced many psychological effects from prescribed meds; I researched them so we could anticipate them. Ceprozil is in the same class of drugs as Cefuroxomine. There is a well documented connection between neuropsychiatric events and antibiotics. There are multiple cases of people on these specific meds Lars was prescribed developing psychosis. It is rare. But the footage of Lars looks like he is running for his life. His actions may be someone having a break from reality. This is so terribly sad and heartbreaking. I hope he is found someday. My prayers go out to his family and friends.
Really feel for Lars. It is really hard to understand where his friends were coming from. To not at least help your friend find a hotel to stay in when he's injured if you really cant take a later flight because of financial concerns. I cant comprehend it. Especially after he had been attacked when he's away from the group. In my opinion he was alone whether they were there or not. Definitely think he had a bad reaction to that medication.
I've watched so much content on this case. You are the first/only one who mentioned that a lot of people there didn't have cell phones and/or tv to even know he was missing. That is kind of important for context. Thank you! 🫶
Something I heard in another retelling was that Lars had picked a really cheap hotel (because of course) and as such was in a BAD part of town. So any effects from the medicin would have combined with the justifiable paranoia he was experiencing AND he is likely nervous because he is truely alone.
Head injury is certainly a no joke. When i was aroun 11-12 i forgot my notebook home, so i hopped on my bike to get it. It was winter and the road was icy. As i turned a corner according to the old lady who saw my fall, my front wheel slipped on the ice and i fell into a concrete pole, head first. I say according to her, cause i have no recollection of the fall, nor how the hell did i get home. The next thing i remember was watching tv at home and snacking while my parents rushed to look for me at home. Mom was hysterical. I never got back to school, my teacher called my parents, and half the village was out looking for me, as the lady told them i fell from my bike and was driving it funny and not towards my home, but back to school. No fucking idea how i got home, but i was taken to the hospital and they confirmed i had a concussion. Later mom found some vomit in the bathroom that was cleaneed up half assedly. So apparently i even threw up and cleaned up after myself lol.
I personally agree with the theory that Lars experienced severe mental health side effects of medication for his ear, or maybe just the ear itself. He was under a lot of stress, maybe he was predisposed to paranoia? And that afterwards he was an opportunistic crime victim or got lost in the woods.
This is so sad, there are lot of cases where the family doesn't know for sure what happened to their loved one, but they kinda do, there is just no proof. With a case like this there is no telling, just waiting if they'll ever show up or not. Heartbreaking.
This case has always baffled me id love to see his family get answers some day! I went to Bulgaria years back for a skiing holiday and the hotel had a little casino and one night we were warned by the hotel staff that mafia/ gang related people were in there and to not make any eye contact with them, they had huge bundles of cash, they seemed like such scary people and I did not feel safe and felt instantly paranoid, we obviously didn’t stay long but since then I’ve always considered that country not to be safe just based on that one encounter.
Its also said they drank alot of alcohol. Also that he wasnt eating. Alcohol poisining along with sleep deprivation can cause deleria. Idk its all strange.
The paranoia was clear and he ran from the medical clinic in the airport when they asked him to sign the waiver, perhaps that was when he lost trust in them too… sad turn of events, I hope Lars has found peace somehow and one day his family does too
My bet is it was the antibiotic. We have two common ones that are prescribed in the US, one commonly used for both animals & humans. I had a laid back dog for 19 years, never hyper, she was prescribed this antibiotic as a precaution for a cut eye, & from the first hour she had taken one she started acting extremely restless, all hyper & paranoid. Hassling, eyes bulging, lying down & getting right back up. This new behavior rattled me so, I walked down to the veterinarian’s the following day & asked him if this was a side effect. He said he had never heard any symptoms like this from an antibiotic. But it had to be, she returned to normal herself once the antibiotic treatment ended.
Bulgaria can very much be a cultural destination, given it was founded in 681, there's rich history, monuments and amazing nature. And then there's party cities such as Sunny Beach and Golden Sands.
Man, this story always gets to me. I hate it when people just... vanish. I mean, obviously it's awful when anything bad happens, but just vanishing and never being seen again is a whole other level of horrifying. I hope one day he's found, one way or another. His family deserve that much. I have three thoughts/theories to add to the list. 1. Spiked or improperly prescribed medication. Maybe the pharmacist accidentally gave him the wrong thing. Stranger things have happened. 2. Drug interactions with daily medications. Sometimes, regular medications can interact in unexpected ways. I'm on a few different medications, and I've learned that I always have to google interactions when I'm starting new medications, because my doctors usually don't do it for me. Like, I went to the doctor for crushing fatigue a dozen times and was brushed off as "just being tired", but eventually a friend recommended checking my drug interactions and... boom, there it is. My antihistamine reacts with my antidepressants, and cause fatigue. Changed to a different antihistamine, and the problem was solved. Or, maybe a food reaction, like how if you take Ritalin with citrus it stops working. Maybe he drank a weird Bulgarian energy drink to wake himself up, and it just so happens that something in it reacted with those antibiotics. 3. The drug mule theory, but with an additional twist: I've read that sometimes drug mules are forced to swallow baggies full of drugs to smuggle them through customs, and it's not uncommon for those baggies to burst in their stomach. What if someone made him swallow a condom full of cocaine, and it burst in his stomach or something? Or... what's the one that gives you super strength and makes you go crazy? I don't really know anything about recreational drugs, just that they can have scary side effects. Poor Lars...
I personally believe the theory that he had a TBI. I think the doctor asking him to sign the documentation sent him over the edge. Those suffering from paranoia are often hyper aware of signing anything, being trapped in contracts, being tricked, etc
What I find strange about this case (amongst other things) is if there was some kind of argument between Lars and Bayern Munich fans in the bar, haven't the Bayern Munich fans in question been identified? It shouldn't have been too difficult for the police to track them down from checking hotel records and flights from Varna to Germany, and asking around.. What do people think? If the men in question were then tracked down, the first question to ask them would be, did they pay local criminals to attack Lars? If so, who were they? As I understand this case has been investigated by the Police thoroughly, and I have never seen anything mentioned about this....
I think he did get a head injury whether he was beat up or fell and hit his head. Football hooliganism is a thing, ultras are wild. I think the rest is the effects of that injury slowly taking hold. I do think it's wild his body hasn't been found but I do think he's dead. Probably died from the injury and he could have been eaten by animals once deceased. I agree his friends Probably thought he a grown man with earache. If they had known he had a head injury or complained of headache alongside the earache, they may have stayed. I doubt he did drugs he would probably be drug tested doing the type of job he did.
I think that the injury, medication and stress may have all contributed to his state. Also, by the time he saw the airport doctor, he was in deep. I don't think we can really believe him when he said that he didn't take the medication he was given.
I have SO many thoughts on this case. But, just want go say - georgia! I love seeing that confidence at the end of the vid. where you ask folks to like the vid ect. You came across really well, and it shows you know your worth. (I feel like this is worded really clunky, sorry bout that)
Does anybody know what kind of wildlife is in the area? If Lars did succumb to something in the wilderness, could his remains have been scattered or destroyed?
like 5 minutes in and already facepalming bc its just SO typical of football fans to meet other people from their country while abroad, and immediately get into a fight 🤦♀
Such a strange and sad story. I’ve never heard of it before. It sounds like something from a thriller drama. Maybe he had some kind of accident or was hit by a car and someone covered it up. Honestly nothing would surprise me. I hope one day the truth comes out and his family can get closure.
As someone who recently had a very similar reaction to an antibiotic, this worries me. I have no memories of any events that happened, but my girlfriend was with me and said I was having delusions and wasn't myself at all. Very scary
Very thorough and concise overview. I’ve always thought he suffered from internal brain bleed that caused psychological changes. He probably succumbed to the elements.
The sightings were all wrong pretty sure, police most probably found him and the somethint happend and they wanted to put it under the carpet. Political reasons
I’ve heard of this case before & enjoyed the deep dive. I think it could have been his head injury & or bad reaction to the medication. He may have just wondered deeper in nature & succumbed to the elements. I feel for his mom & hope someday she will have answers. I also feel sad for what Lars went through with no fault of anyone, all on his own & away from home where he could get help.
I've known about this case for a while. Thank you for your detailed video Georgia. I'm inclined to go down the drug route, he may well have been in some kind of trouble, or a mental illness seems likely too xx
I’ve heard this case recounted so many times through the true crime community but this is easily one of the most respectful and genuinely helpful recountings
ED nurse here. I know this is almost by the by, but I also agree that it’s very likely he had an undiagnosed head injury. The trouble he got into that burst his eardrum might have come along with less visible contusions, and if he had a worsening subdural hematoma (brain bleed) that nobody picked up, that would certainly account for the increasing changed mental state. It could even account for blown pupils, which is something a casual bystander might easily confuse for both eyes. And it sounds like he wasn’t able to get much more than a cursory exam at the hospital…if that is the case, and it was getting worse at that rate, then it’s likely that he’s unfortunately lying somewhere in the forests around the airport.
This is one of those completely baffling cases that sticks with you... I think about this one all the time. How does an adult just vanish into thin air??
Lars was doing very fine you guys tend to lean to a direction very easy. His mother said he was very fine and leveled. He could explain things to her very well too. They wanted to make you guys think that he went crazy because of drugs. He ran for his safety for the reason they were after him, probably because he was a spy they thought. Which was wrong, and later put under the carpet. Police found him most probably same day.
I'm from Bulgaria and I have heard so much about this case and keep watching videos about it because it really makes me awake at night and scares me. Sadly, I think that he got into the wrong crowd and it didn't turn out good for him. It can happen a lot in my country, a lot of crimes get covered by police and people who money who pay the police. Hope his family is able to find answers but I am not sure they ever will..
EVERY time I've seen this story, it breaks my heart to think of his mother watching her baby boy run, panicked, and her not being able to help him 😢😢 Prayers to her and other loved ones, alwsys!
Thank you for covering this story as respectfully as always. As a young German male around his age who even shares his first name this case has always stuck with me personally, putting myself in his shoes in a way. Especially the interviews with his mother just showing utter confusion and sadness about her young son who was simply lost to the unknown, slipped away abroad with nothing she could do for him. Any mother's nightmare.
Another candle lit for Lars Mittank. Hearing someone's story told- especially this well, and so compassionately- makes us all feel more connected. You like to think we're all searching for those who are lost.
Hi Georgia, I am from Germany, and have been following this case for a number of years. it was even on "XY... unsolved" which is a big national show on German TV that has existed for like 50 years and where police go with their desperate cases.
Really well done on this one :)
Some facts you didn't mention, maybe because they were in German when you did the research, were for example that the airport doctor changed his police statement several times so he does not seem trustworthy in my opinion. Bulgarian police were described as uncooperative as well in some videos I saw, as, according to the mother, when they handed over her son's things, the half-empty Cefzil 500 blister was missing, although it was mentioned in a list the private investigator had seen before. Which brings me to the next point, the mother had even hired a private investigator from Germany who tried to find Lars in Bulgaria but all police apparently did was try to keep him from finding things.
To me, it seems that there was something really sketchy going on that police and or government officials are trying to cover up. Maybe Lars was not that paranoid after all?
in any case I really really liked this video and your conclusions on this, it was one of the best videos I saw on the topics. The German youtuber Insolito made a very good one, too, if I remember correctly it's where I got some of the above-mentioned info from. All the best from Cologne xx
This one is so strange because realistically an airport is one of the SAFEST places you could possibly be, especially post 9/11. All of the security screenings ensuring there are no weapons in the building and help is easy to find if you need it in the form of security guards and police. It doesn’t make any sense to run away from that safety. I think he had some kind of mental health malfunction and got lost and sadly died out in nature.
If you’re in a state of Panic or Anxiety,nowhere is a safe place.
If it was that safe there wouldn’t be sex trafficking going through the airport
@@hannahcollings6358 There definitely are cracks in the system, persons who are coerced into compliance or who may not even know they’re being trafficked are different than an adult man of sound mind dropping all of his luggage and money, and then running outside when he was already past security and had a legitimate ticket home. Yes bad things can still pass through airports but it’s safer from immediate physical danger than being alone outside without any of your belongings or means to take care of yourself.
What makes u think an airport is safe? Its the number one spot used for seedy stuff lol
@@BJ-yy6ei As a passenger who was already past the security clearance, who ISNT doing shady stuff himself, he was in a safer place than running away into the Bulgarian wilderness with no money or means to call for help. Maybe I’m the wrong one here but in this scenario I would much rather be alone in an airport with a valid ticket home as opposed to alone on the streets.
Ever since I heard about this case, it’s the only one I think about constantly. WHAT happened to him?!
i’m from germany, and i it’s WILD to see you cover a case with these familiar topics. like it’s always kind of ‘far away’ when you’re talking about american or even british cases.
I agree with the head trauma theory. my husband had a bad bike accident where he was knocked unconscious for several minutes, and for several days afterward his behavior a little strange and he also has no memory of the accident as well. Brain injuries are very serious and it surprisingly doesn’t take much to cause one. I think Lars was probably very confused and perhaps ran off only to perish in the forest somewhere 😢
brain injuries are also incredibly less well-understood than most people think! most doctors would miss the signs that something was wrong
I think this theory is likely too. I'm pretty sure that a general blow to the head has to be really hard to also burst someone's ear drum. Google says this can happen if there is a fracture in the skull. That's some major head trauma. These kinds of injuries can also temporarily (maybe permanently...?) disable/alter pupil responses. This can cause pupils to be two different sizes, slow to shift between light and dark, or constant dilated pupils. The doctor said Lars had noticeably dilated pupils. I wonder if any of the medical providers in Bulgaria did something to evaluate for head injury. It seems like some type of skull imaging would have been helpful. It could have caught any skull fractures, and then maybe the brain part of the injury would have been taken more seriously. However, I don't know about the medical systems in Bulgaria. Are they considered to be good? Do they have translators?
P.S. I hope you all are finding peace and healing after everything with your husband.
@@raidenyvelina8558 From what I understand, there aren't great options for diagnosing the damage head injuries have caused for a person's brain. It's hard to image/assess the soft tissue part of the equation.
Sorry, last thing. I keep remembering things that I should have added. Oopsies.
I believe that brain injuries can also warp sensory input. Things don't look, sound, taste, feel the same. That alone would be distressing.
Lars was doing very fine you guys tend to lean to a direction very easy. His mother said he was very fine and leveled. He could explain things to her very well too. They wanted to make you guys think that he went crazy because of drugs. He ran for his safety for the reason they were after him, probably because he was a spy they thought. Which was wrong, and later put under the carpet. Police found him most probably same day.
sadly, I agree with the brain injury idea. my brother got a TBI but didn't understand the severity, and Lars' behavior reminds me a lot of my brother's actions following the injury. my brother ended up passing away a few hours later because the TBI resulted in a brain bleed that no one, including my brother, knew was going on. seems like Lars may have had a similar situation. TBIs are also one of the most common ways for young men to pass away. my heart is with Lars' family
How can anyone vanish into thin air in such close proximity of an airport where there are safety measures, surveillance, etc?! This is just baffling.
Thanks for another great video, Georgia. Lars's case definitely sticks with you. I was wondering if you'd please consider covering Waltham Forest Man (as he's called on Locate International, Case 16-001186 on the UK Missing Persons Unit). It's a bizarre John Doe case as there are pictures of him alive and he seemed to have been known in the area. (Apologies if you have covered him already, I had a look and search but didn't see it).
It seems like Lars's paranoia started before the medication. He told his friends he believed that the football fans had hired the men that he got into the fight with, which would just not make logical sense. I think it's entirely possible he had a psychotic break, possibly brought on by the stress of the fight. If he was already pre-disposed for a psychotic condition the stress may have been enough to set it off.
My guess too. And maybe he was so paranoid he hid somewhere and got stuck
Not to mention he ate very little from the beginning of the Holiday. That could indicate onset of psychosis
This is such a strange case. I don’t even know what to make of it. His poor mother! Thank you as always, for covering cases like this one. I really hope it gets solved one day soon.
Best coverage of this case I’ve seen! I thought I knew everything but there’s so many details I’d never heard and I usually find this case so confusing but you’ve told this story so well and clearly
This is one of the cases that really sticks with me, maybe because I’ve been through that airport a few times. I really hope his family get answers one day.
I remember first seeing the clip of Lars running out of the airport not long after it happened, and I always wondered what the story was. I hope for his family's sake that even if he's not okay, they do find out what happened. Nothing is worse than not knowing.
My theory now is that it was the head injury _and_ the prescription that caused him to run. But after that? No clue. He could have been disorientated enough that someone could have taken advatage of that and killed and or kidnapped him. I also wonder why that extra footage hadn't been released.
There could be something more specific on it. Like maybe he had an interaction with somebody and they don’t want people calling in being like “THAT WAS ME”. So like just
keeping certain details of a case to themselves so that if somebody comes forward with those details they know they’re legit
My aunt was fine growing up but developed schizophrenia in her mid 20s when her son was hit by a car. She ended up having to be hospitalized for most of her life. It sounds like something along this line could have happened to Lars.
This is such a weird case. And as a mom I would have told him to go get on a train to get home. It’s like 10 hours between Bulgaria and Germany, and he would have been home. His mother must be so messed up by all of this. It’s all just so strange.
I don't think it's possible to get to Germany from Varna by train. The bus could have been an option. I used to live in Sofia in 2012-2013 and I think you could only get to Romania by train.
this case is always heartbreaking. Thank you for covering it so respectfully and not sensationalizing it but rather informing.
Good work. No nonsense. Subbed and liked.
I've looked into the topic a lot and it seems the risk of psychotic breaks increases drastically when you are in a completely unfamiliar place alone. Lars was already under a lot of stress compound with being alone and prescribed medication he wasn't used to, so I think psychotic break is the most likely.
I've had 2 burst eardrums, and let me tell you, they are not fun. They completely throw off your equilibrium you're dizzy and in pain and it's one of the weirdest things I've ever experienced
Yes, it is extremely painful and makes you dizzy and disoriented
This is one of those cases where i keep stopping the video to research something. I have fell down so many rabbit holes whilst trying to finish this vid. (i think a few maps would be a good addition to future cases of similar nature ) All and all this was really well done.
Omg the return, for me , of Georgia is like the solar eclipse!
Ty soooooooooooo much.
I was thinking about thay same grays epsiode too, always wondered about this case thanks for covering x
Thanks
thank you!
I had a psychotic episode as a side effect from a medication a few years ago. Think Alice in Wonderland but scary. If this poor dude had something similar happen to him, I feel so so sorry for him! 😢
I really hope it wasn’t psychosis, but it’s a potential in this case. I totally agree with the Alice in Wonderland but scary… I’ve been there too. It’s like being in the Upside Down from Stranger Things!
this happened to a relative of mine recently, apparently as a result of stress. I won't go into details about how he got there but he ended up in hospital, and is thankfully doing much better now. From the outside, it looked quite similar to Lars' paranoia, but from my relative's POV it was just how you and the above commenter described - a terrifying Alice in Wonderland. Thinking everything was a plot against him. If that is what Lars went through, I can't imagine the fear and panic he must have experienced. I hope someday his family gets answers.
I remember that footage floating around the internet when it first happened. I hope his family get some answers and closure soon.. just a sad and strange story.
I think of this case quite often as it’s just such a strange one, always like to hear your perspective on a case Georgia, even well known cases 😊
Another well-made video. Thank you!
Bulgaria is a pretty rough place, which is not being considered as much as it should be.
Thanks Georgia, I have always wondered about this case as well. Great video. I really hope he did survive, his poor mum.
This case baffles me so much everytime I hear it!
Dang this is a crazy story. Thanks for telling us about this case and I hope what happened to Lars is eventually solved
Hi, not Bulgarian, but from Eastern Europe, and one thing I can tell you for sure is that people from the west think this area is way more dangerous than it actually is. Especially for tourists who have no ties with the underground or whatever, the danger of getting mugged is pretty plausible, but kidnapping a German tourist and making him a drug mule does not make a lot of sense. Also the idea that Bulgarians wouldn't have the internet or phones in 2014 is pretty funny but also a little bit rude. Just because it's a small town where people don't speak English doesn't mean it's the 17th century. Personally I think it was some combination of brain injury/drugs/mental illness, probably made worse by being alone in a foreign country.
Thanks for covering this G ❤
The worst pain ive ever been in was when i had an ear infection, the only time ive ever cried from being in pain. Theyre no joke 😭
When I saw this title I was like wait is their new footage!? I was so hoping there was an update. Such a baffling case!
Heartbreaking. His mom! I can't even begin to imagine her pain.
Head injuries can be completely life changing. Loads of serial killers have reported head trauma in their early years before they began killing. My guess is that the fight did indeed contribute to his bizzare behavior but yeah... where did he go when he ran????
Hi Georgia I think it would be more accurate to query first episode psychosis than schizophrenia. That can be a symptom of multiple mental illnesses and only a third of people with first episode psychosis go on to develop a long term mh problem like schizophrenia, bipolar or schizoaffective disorder. It's also incredibly rare for people with psychosis to actually forget who they are and this is often way more indicative of organic (physical) brain changes as seen in traumatic brain injury, delirium tremens or dementia
I just love when Georgia posts ❤❤
I just recently flew with an ear infection and I can confirm that was one of the worst pains of my life 😭 it’s possible that he saw someone who looked like one of the guys who attacked him at the airport and panicked, fleeing. His poor mother man, he was so close to getting home 😢
I’ve been on an antibiotic that made me hallucinate. I thought I was floating abs couldn’t work out where in the living room I was. I also started to see skulls on peoples faces on the tv. Was exceedingly weird but I wasn’t scared just incredibly confused.
My thoughts, heart and prayers to the family. My prayers is they find answers and get there son back. I can’t even imagine the pain they are experiencing that is never ending.
Many years ago I was playing wow with a guy who had gone to some country in Europe (he was from Sweden) and he had had his first ever psychotic episode during the travels and he went missing for quite a while, I don't remember if he was gone for months or longer than that. He got diagnosed with schizophrenia when he was brought home. Another online friend was working in a different European country for a while, he got sick, I think he didn't get proper help right away and he ended up suffering from some kind of brain damage from whatever he had.
I hope Lars is found alive sooner or later. Maybe he's roaming around in some random European country.
I feel so sad for his parents. How helpless they must have felt, being so far away, then he just disappeared. Heart breaking
good reporting. hope they find him too. you never know.
I'm a research geek re: pharmaceutical meds. My mother had a rare terminal disease. She experienced many psychological effects from prescribed meds; I researched them so we could anticipate them.
Ceprozil is in the same class of drugs as Cefuroxomine. There is a well documented connection between neuropsychiatric events and antibiotics. There are multiple cases of people on these specific meds Lars was prescribed developing psychosis. It is rare. But the footage of Lars looks like he is running for his life. His actions may be someone having a break from reality.
This is so terribly sad and heartbreaking. I hope he is found someday. My prayers go out to his family and friends.
Yeah this is one of my favorite cases to read about.
This has always been such a baffling case
This is the best video for have seen on this case.
Really feel for Lars. It is really hard to understand where his friends were coming from. To not at least help your friend find a hotel to stay in when he's injured if you really cant take a later flight because of financial concerns. I cant comprehend it. Especially after he had been attacked when he's away from the group. In my opinion he was alone whether they were there or not. Definitely think he had a bad reaction to that medication.
I've watched so much content on this case. You are the first/only one who mentioned that a lot of people there didn't have cell phones and/or tv to even know he was missing. That is kind of important for context. Thank you! 🫶
Something I heard in another retelling was that Lars had picked a really cheap hotel (because of course) and as such was in a BAD part of town. So any effects from the medicin would have combined with the justifiable paranoia he was experiencing AND he is likely nervous because he is truely alone.
Thank you.
Head injury is certainly a no joke. When i was aroun 11-12 i forgot my notebook home, so i hopped on my bike to get it. It was winter and the road was icy. As i turned a corner according to the old lady who saw my fall, my front wheel slipped on the ice and i fell into a concrete pole, head first.
I say according to her, cause i have no recollection of the fall, nor how the hell did i get home. The next thing i remember was watching tv at home and snacking while my parents rushed to look for me at home. Mom was hysterical. I never got back to school, my teacher called my parents, and half the village was out looking for me, as the lady told them i fell from my bike and was driving it funny and not towards my home, but back to school.
No fucking idea how i got home, but i was taken to the hospital and they confirmed i had a concussion. Later mom found some vomit in the bathroom that was cleaneed up half assedly. So apparently i even threw up and cleaned up after myself lol.
In cases of succumbing to the elements, people are usually found I think so it's surprising he never was
Never heard of this in the US, very interesting
I personally agree with the theory that Lars experienced severe mental health side effects of medication for his ear, or maybe just the ear itself. He was under a lot of stress, maybe he was predisposed to paranoia? And that afterwards he was an opportunistic crime victim or got lost in the woods.
This is so sad, there are lot of cases where the family doesn't know for sure what happened to their loved one, but they kinda do, there is just no proof. With a case like this there is no telling, just waiting if they'll ever show up or not. Heartbreaking.
This one picks at me constantly. Truly unexplainable and weird.
This case has always baffled me id love to see his family get answers some day! I went to Bulgaria years back for a skiing holiday and the hotel had a little casino and one night we were warned by the hotel staff that mafia/ gang related people were in there and to not make any eye contact with them, they had huge bundles of cash, they seemed like such scary people and I did not feel safe and felt instantly paranoid, we obviously didn’t stay long but since then I’ve always considered that country not to be safe just based on that one encounter.
Its also said they drank alot of alcohol. Also that he wasnt eating. Alcohol poisining along with sleep deprivation can cause deleria. Idk its all strange.
The paranoia was clear and he ran from the medical clinic in the airport when they asked him to sign the waiver, perhaps that was when he lost trust in them too… sad turn of events, I hope Lars has found peace somehow and one day his family does too
What a bizarre turn of event o my goodness
My bet is it was the antibiotic. We have two common ones that are prescribed in the US, one commonly used for both animals & humans. I had a laid back dog for 19 years, never hyper, she was prescribed this antibiotic as a precaution for a cut eye, & from the first hour she had taken one she started acting extremely restless, all hyper & paranoid. Hassling, eyes bulging, lying down & getting right back up. This new behavior rattled me so, I walked down to the veterinarian’s the following day & asked him if this was a side effect. He said he had never heard any symptoms like this from an antibiotic. But it had to be, she returned to normal herself once the antibiotic treatment ended.
Bulgaria is the oldest country in Europe! It's very cultural place.
Bulgaria can very much be a cultural destination, given it was founded in 681, there's rich history, monuments and amazing nature. And then there's party cities such as Sunny Beach and Golden Sands.
I have never heard about this case. How completely bizarre
Man, this story always gets to me. I hate it when people just... vanish. I mean, obviously it's awful when anything bad happens, but just vanishing and never being seen again is a whole other level of horrifying. I hope one day he's found, one way or another. His family deserve that much.
I have three thoughts/theories to add to the list.
1. Spiked or improperly prescribed medication. Maybe the pharmacist accidentally gave him the wrong thing. Stranger things have happened.
2. Drug interactions with daily medications. Sometimes, regular medications can interact in unexpected ways. I'm on a few different medications, and I've learned that I always have to google interactions when I'm starting new medications, because my doctors usually don't do it for me. Like, I went to the doctor for crushing fatigue a dozen times and was brushed off as "just being tired", but eventually a friend recommended checking my drug interactions and... boom, there it is. My antihistamine reacts with my antidepressants, and cause fatigue. Changed to a different antihistamine, and the problem was solved. Or, maybe a food reaction, like how if you take Ritalin with citrus it stops working. Maybe he drank a weird Bulgarian energy drink to wake himself up, and it just so happens that something in it reacted with those antibiotics.
3. The drug mule theory, but with an additional twist: I've read that sometimes drug mules are forced to swallow baggies full of drugs to smuggle them through customs, and it's not uncommon for those baggies to burst in their stomach. What if someone made him swallow a condom full of cocaine, and it burst in his stomach or something? Or... what's the one that gives you super strength and makes you go crazy? I don't really know anything about recreational drugs, just that they can have scary side effects.
Poor Lars...
I swear I saw a photo online of a man that looks like lars on the street with euro architecture asking for some money
I remember the first time I heard about this I thought, oh surely they’ll find him. But now it’s been years. It’s so baffling.
I personally believe the theory that he had a TBI. I think the doctor asking him to sign the documentation sent him over the edge. Those suffering from paranoia are often hyper aware of signing anything, being trapped in contracts, being tricked, etc
I pray the family gets answers so they can perhaps have some closure
Very mysterious.I hope he is found soon
As always another awesome video ❤ I hardly ever comment but I’m trying 😂
What I find strange about this case (amongst other things) is if there was some kind of argument between Lars and Bayern Munich fans in the bar, haven't the Bayern Munich fans in question been identified? It shouldn't have been too difficult for the police to track them down from checking hotel records and flights from Varna to Germany, and asking around.. What do people think? If the men in question were then tracked down, the first question to ask them would be, did they pay local criminals to attack Lars? If so, who were they? As I understand this case has been investigated by the Police thoroughly, and I have never seen anything mentioned about this....
I think he did get a head injury whether he was beat up or fell and hit his head. Football hooliganism is a thing, ultras are wild. I think the rest is the effects of that injury slowly taking hold. I do think it's wild his body hasn't been found but I do think he's dead. Probably died from the injury and he could have been eaten by animals once deceased. I agree his friends Probably thought he a grown man with earache. If they had known he had a head injury or complained of headache alongside the earache, they may have stayed. I doubt he did drugs he would probably be drug tested doing the type of job he did.
I think that the injury, medication and stress may have all contributed to his state. Also, by the time he saw the airport doctor, he was in deep. I don't think we can really believe him when he said that he didn't take the medication he was given.
What a sad story
I remember this one
Maybe he had post traumatic amnesia?
I have SO many thoughts on this case. But, just want go say - georgia! I love seeing that confidence at the end of the vid. where you ask folks to like the vid ect. You came across really well, and it shows you know your worth. (I feel like this is worded really clunky, sorry bout that)
thank you!!
Does anybody know what kind of wildlife is in the area? If Lars did succumb to something in the wilderness, could his remains have been scattered or destroyed?
like 5 minutes in and already facepalming bc its just SO typical of football fans to meet other people from their country while abroad, and immediately get into a fight 🤦♀
You’re just the best Georgia. I really hope they find him. Maybe he thought he was taking anti biotics but really had he been given something else
Such a strange and sad story. I’ve never heard of it before. It sounds like something from a thriller drama. Maybe he had some kind of accident or was hit by a car and someone covered it up. Honestly nothing would surprise me. I hope one day the truth comes out and his family can get closure.
I know something of this case but this will be my first deep dive
As someone who recently had a very similar reaction to an antibiotic, this worries me. I have no memories of any events that happened, but my girlfriend was with me and said I was having delusions and wasn't myself at all. Very scary
Very thorough and concise overview. I’ve always thought he suffered from internal brain bleed that caused psychological changes. He probably succumbed to the elements.
Ah, well-known case here in Germany. Absolutely baffling. I hope his family gets closure one day.
The sightings were all wrong pretty sure, police most probably found him and the somethint happend and they wanted to put it under the carpet. Political reasons
I’ve heard of this case before & enjoyed the deep dive. I think it could have been his head injury & or bad reaction to the medication. He may have just wondered deeper in nature & succumbed to the elements. I feel for his mom & hope someday she will have answers. I also feel sad for what Lars went through with no fault of anyone, all on his own & away from home where he could get help.
I've known about this case for a while. Thank you for your detailed video Georgia. I'm inclined to go down the drug route, he may well have been in some kind of trouble, or a mental illness seems likely too xx