Saving Tony Morris

The above picture is of Tony Morris. Tony is a programmer and quite well known amongst certain IRC lists.

Today, Tony wrote this:

18:42 < dobblego> Dear All,
18:42 < dobblego> Thank for your patience in recent times. I am notifying you all of my resignation
from this life. I sincerely apologise for the distress this may cause, but please
also understand that the suffering which I currently endure is far less comforting.
I have enjoyed 29 of my 31 years on this planet and I do not – like so many others –
expect an afterlife. Thank you for the fun times that I have shared with so many of you.
18:42 < dobblego> Goodbye.
18:42 < dobblego> PS: I have an osteochondral defect on the front of the articular surface of my talus causing obstruction on dorsiflexion – please confirm this on autopsy.

Tony lives in Queensland, Australia, and after he posted this people on the IRC began to swing into action, finding out where Tony lives, contacting the police and so on. As far as I know, he hasn't been found, but the internet is buzzing over the guy's online suicide note.

Apparently he has been suffering for the past two years as a result of an injury:

Two years ago, I was playing A1 grade squash training about 10 hours per week. Then in July 2007 I suffered an injury to my right ankle.

I've had a problem ever since and I've had two operations - both of which have not resolved the problem. I have been consistently misdiagnosed and today I can barely walk. I haven't been able to walk without pretty intense pain since 15 September 2008.

Last week I got a 3D CT Scan of my ankle and now that I know the ankle anatomy and conditions of the ankle back-to-front, I am frothing at the mouth to tell the surgeon next week what I found. Once again, I have had to diagnose myself - the doctors I've encountered truly lack comprehension skills. Though this is common, I expected better from doctors.

I still start my dirt bike once a week and do a bit of maintenance if I can be bothered enduring the pain. I hope I can play squash again.

Just my little story :)

Update: Indications are that they found him alive and unharmed.