A man from the north of Colombia is trying real hard to convince local authorities he is not dead.
Samir Enrique Almanza from the tiny village of Chinu found out about his own death when picking up drugs at a local hospital.
According to the hospital’s computer, Almanza died a while ago already, reported local newspaper El Meridiano de Cordoba.
After the village gossip machine successfully spread the word about the mototaxi driver’s death, Almanza gained a new nickname among locals and is now commonly referred to as “The Living Dead,” which — as if being dead isn’t bad enough — has killed his tiny transport business, he said.
“Because of this error, people don’t want to ride with me because they say it’s a bad omen to hang out with a living dead. I have gone out to look for work but they won’t give me any because apparently I am dead and the people don’t want to get into trouble because of me,” Almanza told El Meridiano.
To make his financial situation even more disastrous, Almanza found out he can’t get any credit because apparently banks refuse to lend money to dead people. According to Almanza, one bank even threatened to have him arrested because the clerk thought the now-unemployed mototaxi driver was trying to scam the financial institution.
“I want them to solve this problem quickly, so I filed a complaint before the responsible authorities,” said Almanza. “I can’t stand this situation that has hurt me so badly, especially with my work and family, much longer.”
While still alive today, Almanza warned the newspaper that the situation and the consequent concerns are killing him.