Mystery Man Disappeared in Schenectady Manhole! What Goes On Underground?

Earlier this year, at an outdoor market in Schenectady, a mystery man appeared for a moment before suddenly disappearing. A few moments later, there he is! Reappearing out of nowhere.

Times Union reported that people had been hanging out on Jay Street in Schenectady when they heard the sound of what turned out to be a guy moving a manhole cover and then disappearing underground. David Kosineski, owner of True Juice Cafe, spoke to Times Union about the mystery.

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Everyone in the close area literally just stopped what they were doing immediately and turned, and when we turned he was looking at everyone making eye contact, and he was halfway in the hole, and slowly crawling his way down, and we all looked at each other and were like, 'Did that just really happen?’

The manhole man remains anonymous but did resurface a few minutes later, replaced the cover and walked away. Police found the man later in the day but no charges were filed. This got me thinking, why would someone go underground? Is it a mental health issue? Is it out of need? Curiosity? What is it?

This is not the only time this has happened. In 2019 Oregon Live reported a case where a group of people were caught on surveillance video emerging from a manhole in Portland, Oregon.

In 2014 ABC News went to Romania to report on the "sewer people", a generation of men, women and children that have been living underground since the 80's. The story could be an episode of "Walking Dead" with villages of people packed into tunnels. They even have a leader or "Negan", if you will, named Bruce Lee.

ABC News needed permission from Lee before being allowed underground. Described as having silver hair, medals like a decorated soldier and traveling with a pack of dogs Bruce Lee was easy to identify.

Brue Lee's hair is not silver from age, it is silver from spray paint. He admitted dressing this way so the others would think he is crazy and leave him alone.

The government of Romania is doing everything it can but the situation in the tunnels is complex -- many of the people who live in the tunnels with Bruce Lee do not want to leave., said Sabina Nicolae, the director of Samu Social