Twist of fate: family mourns the wrong person as Tyler Chase emerges from the shadows

In a perplexing turn of events, a 22-year-old man from Portland, Oregon, declared officially ‘dead’ months ago, has miraculously resurfaced alive, leaving his family in shock and disbelief.

Tyler Chase, once presumed deceased by the Multnomah County Medical examiner on September 11, 2023, reappeared unscathed, prompting a tale that could rival any plotline from the realm of the extraordinary.

The confusion stemmed from an unfortunate mix-up involving another individual found lifeless in a parking lot last year. Initially ruled as a drug overdose, the deceased person was mistakenly identified as Tyler Chase, and his name was etched onto the death certificate.

Chase’s cousin, Latasha Rosales, mourning the alleged loss on social media, expressed her profound grief, unaware that the body cremated on October 1 wasn’t her cousin’s. The shocking revelation unfolded on December 19, when the medical examiner’s office admitted to a grievous error, retracting the identification and clarifying that the ashes with the family were not Tyler Chase’s.

In an unreal turn of events, the medical examiner’s office arranged a Facetime call between Chase and his cousin to prove his existence. The perplexity deepened as it was disclosed that Chase had been in a drug treatment center during the time, out of contact with his family.

Chase, speaking to FOX 12 Investigates, revealed that he only discovered his supposed demise when attempting to collect food assistance benefits. His social security and ID checks classified him as ‘dead.’ The Multnomah County Medical Examiner’s Office traced him down, apologized for the mishap, and connected him with his unsuspecting family.

A spokesperson from the medical examiner’s office expressed regret over the misidentification, attributing it to the deceased person carrying Mr. Tyler Chase’s wallet and temporary Oregon driver’s license.

To prevent such incidents in the future, the office has pledged a comprehensive review of their practices, instituting changes that include submitting fingerprints for positive identification when dealing with temporary state-issued IDs.