Brad Steiger has long been recognized for his dedication to investigating and documenting unusual phenomena, including disappearances and encounters often described as paranormal. Among the many stories he encountered throughout his career, one event at a Hawaiian hospital in the late 1960s stands out due to the clear account provided by a medical professional directly involved in the case.

The story centers around a patient who vanished under circumstances that defy easy explanation and later reappeared just as mysteriously. Accounts of a bright light, along with details of the patient’s physical incapacity, made this case particularly difficult to dismiss or explain through conventional means.

Key Takeaways

A respected paranormal researcher shared a unique hospital abduction case.
The patient's disappearance and sudden return remain unexplained.
The incident left a lasting impression on all involved.

Brad Steiger: Trailblazer in Unexplained Phenomena Studies

Recording Disappearances and UFO Encounters

Brad Steiger was widely recognized for his extensive documentation of unexplained disappearances and UFO events. With an output of almost 200 books, he covered a diverse range of topics involving the paranormal. His investigations into people vanishing in forested areas predated other notable works on the subject by over thirty years.

Steiger had a particular interest in reports of unidentified flying objects and encounters with supposed extraterrestrials. His research collection included cases ranging from the unusual to those he considered truly extraordinary, such as a hospital abduction case that stood out in his memory.

Key subjects Steiger chronicled:

Forest disappearances decades before popular series on the topic
UFO sightings and alien interaction reports
Eye-witness accounts from professionals, including medical personnel

Foundational Cases Before the Popularization of Disappearance Mysteries

Steiger began studying mysterious vanishing cases long before newer researchers brought the topic to mainstream attention. One noteworthy incident involved a patient in a military hospital who was physically immobilized due to severe leg injuries. Despite being under constant watch and having no means to leave the bed without extreme pain, the patient disappeared for an hour during the night, only to reappear with medical equipment intact.

Staff members and military police were unable to find any evidence of how the patient left or returned. Multiple witnesses remembered seeing an unusual, bright light outside the building at the time of the disappearance. Detailed interviews with the patient revealed claims of being taken by unidentified "friends" and flying over the islands, although further details were withheld.

Detail Observed Incident Patient condition Immobilized, multiple fractures Hospital security High, frequent staff presence Time disappeared 1 hour Witness accounts Bright light seen Patient explanation "Went flying with friends"

Steiger's dedication to recording these types of reports helped lay the foundation for future research into disappearances and unusual aerial phenomena.

The Hawaii Hospital Abduction Case

Dr. William's Personal and Professional Background

Dr. William was approximately nineteen years old in 1968, serving in the medical corps at a hospital in Hawaii assigned to military staff. He is described as a quiet and sincere individual, committed to his medical career and reputation. Due to concerns over his future in medicine, his full identity and the specific hospital involved have never been publicly disclosed.

He preferred to keep his association with this incident private, understanding the sensitivity and potential skepticism of others in the field. Accounts describe him as matter-of-fact and trustworthy by those who knew him.

The 1968 Disappearance and Unexplained Events

One night during his shift, Dr. William encountered a patient known as Espia, a man in his sixties with distinctive features such as bushy eyebrows, shoulder-length blond hair, a round face, and a flattened nose. Espia, a World War II veteran and self-described hippie, was immobilized in traction with pins through his legs after a traffic accident. Earlier that night, Espia told Dr. William he would be "leaving to join his friends in a UFO" for about an hour and humorously invited the doctor to come along.

Dr. William initially dismissed this as a joke. However, during later rounds, Espia had vanished despite his immobilization. The bed, with its traction pins left behind, showed no sign of a struggle or escape. Dr. William and the military police launched an extensive search—inside the facility and on the grounds—but Espia was nowhere to be found.

Patient Profile:
Trait Details Age About 60 years Background World War II veteran; described as a hippie Appearance 5'6", chubby, large eyes, shoulder-length hair, round face Condition Multiple leg fractures, confined to traction

Some patients in nearby rooms later reported seeing an intense, bright light on that wing of the hospital shortly before Espia’s disappearance. After an hour, Espia inexplicably returned, with the pins replaced and fully immobilized again. According to medical staff, it would not have been possible for him to remove and reinsert the pins on his own due to the pain and physical limitations.

Espia was interrogated by military police but offered few details, saying only he had been with his "friends." Later, he confided to Dr. William that he and his friends had spent the hour flying over the Hawaiian Islands and discussing metaphysics, claiming next time he would leave his body behind to avoid causing disruption in the hospital.

The staff found no plausible explanation for how Espia could disappear for an hour and reappear, especially given the security and constant supervision in the military hospital. The case remains one of the most unusual incidents Dr. William ever experienced.

Patient Asenia’s Background

Life Details And Personality Features

Asenia was a male patient in his sixties, noted for being a World War II veteran. He was roughly 5’6’’ tall, with a sturdy build, bushy eyebrows, shoulder-length light hair, pronounced eyes, a round face, and a flat nose. He had a Spanish-sounding name and spoke with an unfamiliar accent.

He arrived at the hospital after sustaining multiple leg fractures, the result of walking into traffic while under the influence of LSD. At the time, Asenia was immobilized in traction, with pins stabilizing his femurs and tibiae.

A self-described advocate of peace, Asenia frequently discussed alternative approaches to healing, as well as his opposition to the ongoing conflict in Vietnam. He consistently expressed ideals focused on love, brotherhood, and metaphysics.

Actions And Unusual Habits

Asenia stood out for his unusual demeanor and behaviors. Hospital staff noticed he often seemed under the influence of marijuana, despite regular searches of his visitors. He maintained friendly relations with a small group of similarly unconventional acquaintances.

Among his more remarkable habits, Asenia openly spoke of his belief in UFOs and referenced plans to join “friends” on an otherworldly journey. On the night in question, he predicted his own temporary disappearance from his hospital bed, despite being unable to move unaided.

Eyewitness accounts reported a sudden, intense light near his room that evening. Despite extensive monitoring and physical restraints, Asenia vanished for about an hour and later reappeared, the medical hardware reinstated as before. He later claimed to have spent this time traveling above the Hawaiian Islands, engaging in philosophical conversations with beings he called his friends.

The Mysterious Disappearance

What Happened Before the Event

Brad Steiger, an investigator with decades of experience, learned about the incident from a physician he called Dr. William. William was 19 at the time, working in the military medical corps at a hospital in Hawaii in 1968. He described a patient, a World War II veteran named Asenia, who had suffered severe injuries from being hit by a truck. Asenia could not move because both legs were in traction with metal pins, and he was alone in a six-bed room that night.

Asenia often spoke with staff about unusual topics, claiming he could leave with "his friends in a UFO" for an hour. Before his disappearance, Asenia repeated this claim and invited William to join, which was taken as a joke. William’s duty station allowed him a clear view of the patient’s room and the hallway, making it unlikely that anyone could have left undetected.

Reports of Unusual Light That Night

That night, patients from nearby rooms reported seeing an unusually bright light coming from Asenia’s side of the building, right before his disappearance. Although no one witnessed Asenia getting up, the sighting of the light became a focal point for those remembering the night’s events. Some staff and patients noted that this light was far brighter than anything normally seen in the hospital at night.

Table 1: Observations Witnessed That Night

Observation Reported By Timeframe Bright Light Display Patients Just before disappearance Absence of Patient William, Hospital Staff After light observed No Movement Detected William During his shift

Actions by Hospital Staff and Military Police

After discovering the empty bed and noticing that the metal pins were left behind, William sounded the alarm. Hospital personnel and Military Police began a comprehensive search, covering the hospital and surrounding grounds. Despite the immobility Asenia should have experienced, no trace was found for nearly an hour.

When staff returned to check the room again, Asenia had reappeared in his bed, pins secured, as if nothing had happened. Military Police questioned him for hours, but Asenia consistently stated he had simply spent the hour with his friends. Intriguingly, a physician confirmed that it would be nearly impossible for someone in Asenia’s condition to remove and reinsert the pins without help or detection.

Checklist of Search Procedures

Internal hospital rooms inspected
Surrounding grounds covered
Bed and equipment checked for tampering
Patient reappearance verified by multiple staff

The investigation ended with more questions than answers, as no rational explanation could be found for how a man in Asenia’s condition vanished and reappeared without a trace.

Return and Inquiry

Sudden Reappearance Under Unlikely Conditions

Staff confirmed the patient’s absence after extensive searching of both the hospital and surrounding grounds. After an hour, the patient, previously immobile due to broken legs and metal pins, was found back in his bed exactly as before.

He was returned to traction, with all hardware in place, despite medical opinion stating self-removal and reinsertion would be unmanageable due to the pain and injury involved. Witnesses reported seeing a bright, unexplained light near the building shortly before the disappearance.

Observation Description Security presence Heavy (military police, hospital staff) Witnessed light Yes, bright light observed Patient mobility Not possible without extreme pain Duration of disappearance 1 hour

Clinical Evaluation and Personnel Responses

Upon reappearance, the patient was questioned by medical staff and military police for several hours, but provided little clarification beyond claiming to have been with his "friends." A medical team assessed that it was highly improbable, if not impossible, for the patient to manipulate his own traction and pins.

Staff, including a physician with a serious reputation, confirmed the credibility of the event. Some expressed confusion and surprise, especially since all procedures and pins were put back without external assistance, and no abnormalities were found in the patient’s condition. Medical and security teams involved documented the case as unexplained.

Asenia Describes the Unusual Event With the Bright Light

Descriptions of Being Taken With Peers

Asenia told the staff that he would be absent for about an hour to join his companions, inviting William along for the experience. He emphasized that these were his friends, suggesting a shared journey. Asenia repeatedly stated that he was not alone, but in the company of others during this period away from the hospital.

Detail Asenia’s Statement Absence Time “One hour” Companionship Said he’d be with friends and offered to bring William Nature of Trip Described as a flight with companions

Conversations About the Nature of Reality

When staff pressed him for more details, Asenia revealed that he and his friends spent time discussing deep, abstract topics as they purportedly traveled over the Hawaiian islands. Their conversations focused on ideas related to existence and metaphysics, rather than physical or technical details about the experience.

He mentioned that in future encounters, he would consider leaving his body behind physically and only traveling mentally, to avoid causing problems at the hospital. Asenia appeared calm and assured when explaining these points, emphasizing the significance of thought and belief over tangible evidence.

Continuing Debate Around The Event

Public Doubt and Trust

Questions about the reliability and truthfulness of this account have persisted for years. Many have approached the story cautiously due to its highly unusual nature, while others have pointed to the credentials of the individuals involved in the case. The involvement of a respected medical professional, who was careful about protecting his identity and reputation, has led some to view the report with more seriousness than typical claims.

Perspective Key Points Skeptical View Extraordinary circumstances, no hard evidence, lack of wider corroboration Supportive View Testimony from a credible, experienced doctor, specific details, and corroborating patient observations

These factors have kept the story at the center of debate among researchers, with some highlighting the possible explanations, while others cite the lingering questions and gaps.

Influence On Supernatural Writings

Writers and researchers interested in mysterious disappearances and alleged abductions have frequently referenced incidents like this in their work. The details have been included in several books and articles, often as a standout example of unexplained medical and physical phenomena.

A few ways the story has influenced the field include:

Providing a detailed, firsthand account from a medical setting.
Inspiring authors to further investigate similar unusual reports.
Shaping discussions about the limits of current scientific understanding regarding such phenomena.

This case continues to be referenced as a touchstone in the literature, underscoring the challenges and intrigue involved in separating fact from interpretation in paranormal research.

Vanishing Patient Phenomenon: The Hawaiian Hospital Mystery That Baffled Medical Professionals