Walter Metz
Ombudsman, Office of the Governor
July 2003

JULY 30, 2003 -- Walter Metz of the Governor's Office of Ombudsman won the July Blue Granite Recognition for selfless and tireless dedication to helping an amnesic man learn his identity.

"Walter Metz's dedication is a dramatic and extraordinary example of how hard state employees work in South Carolina," said Sen. Phil Leventis when he presented the award. "He spent countless hours of his own time to figure out the identity of a man who turned out to be from Guyana.

"Walter is a model for all state employees and he deserves a hearty pat on the back."

Metz, program manager of the Governor's Office of Ombudsman, got a request in March 2003 from a Charleston homeless shelter that was trying to learn a Social Security number for a man so he could work there. The man, known only as "Nigel Smith," had amnesia.

For three months, Metz researched "Nigel's" history. The FBI, Immigration and Naturalization Service and police didn't have anything that indicated his identity.

Metz contacted speech professionals who used his dialect to narrow the search for his native land to Guyana in South America. After contacting dozens of organizations, people in the Guyanese community, schools and more, Metz was able to confirm Nigel's identity by June 2003.

OTHER WINNERS November 2005: David Fellows, Jutta Young September 2005: Sumter County DOT staff April 2004: Linda Nodine February 2004: SC Law Enforcement Officers December 2003: David Johnson September 2003: Richard Chesley August 2003: Paul Gowder July 2003: Walter Metz June 2003: SCDOT's Mabry May 2003: Rehabilitation Technology Program April 2003: SCETV

He learned Nigel had been an assistant hospital administrator and had 10 siblings. While Nigel's identity has been determined, he reportedly remains in Charleston with amnesia and is seeking to build a better life.

The Governor's Office of Ombudsman seeks to help citizens with problems, particularly those that relate to state government.

The Blue Granite Recognition is a monthly program to highlight excellence achieved by South Carolina state employees. The Recognition, sponsored by the S.C. State Credit Union, is online at: www.bluegraniterecognition.org. The award is deemed a "recognition" because winners are not picked as a result of competitions. They are being recognized for the fine work they are doing as public employees.

Prior recipients include employees at SCETV, S.C. Department of Vocational Rehabilitation and the S.C. Department of Transportation.