In case anyone on this thread hasn't already discovered it, there's a new article on Linda Sharp Caldwell, the nurse who cared for Jim Baczkowski. The article is about Linda's recent presence at the Daughters of the American Revolution, where members listened to the story based on Baczkowski, who lost a leg during a battle in Vietnam.

Jim's story originally aired on UM in March 1990. He was searching for Linda to express his appreciation to her. Soon after the segment's original broadcast, he successfully found her and had a reunion with her.

http://www.aikenstandard.com/story/041312-DAR-hosts-Vietnam-nurse--3926118

Thank you for sharing. I remember how sincere both of them were and the mutual love and respect for one another.

It's good to hear what she's been up to since then. I didn't realize that Jim had died almost 8 years to the day after the episode aired. I think their story is one of the best lost love cases that Unsolved Mysteries has ever profiled.

UM used to rerun this segment all the time during the original run. The update was instantaneous (I seem to recall that it aired the following episode but could be mistaken). I loved this one. They found the perfect actors for the re-enactment.

"I picked up my leg..."

"I bet you'd like a cold beer!"

I miss those pre-internet days when such matters weren't solved in a heartbeat. While we may get our answers faster now, it's definitely less rewarding.

It's good to hear what she's been up to since then. I didn't realize that Jim had died almost 8 years to the day after the episode aired. I think their story is one of the best lost love cases that Unsolved Mysteries has ever profiled.
I swear I have seen an update on his passing in a D.F.episode....

I swear I have seen an update on his passing in a D.F.episode....

There was an update in both Stack and Farina's versions, but what I meant is that I didn't know his exact date of death and that it came almost 8 years after the episode aired on TV.

I always loved this reunion. Especially the part where Jim gave her the plaque.

There was an update in both Stack and Farina's versions, but what I meant is that I didn't know his exact date of death and that it came almost 8 years after the episode aired on TV.
HAHAHA!!! Gertrude Pruett Grymes. She died back in 2010. As much of a con she was and as much she stole...sad she lived as long as she did. Funny pic. He died on 20 Mar 1999. To this day of 4/9/20....i still can't find any info on cause of death. Found out where he was buried...plot #...born...etc...but no cause of death. Seen this segment a good 40 times and i still watch it like i have never seen it before. Just got done watching it again. Still get emotional about it cuz my dad was a Nam vet...was injured...and got a purple heart. So whenever i see it...i think of my dad and the hell he went through there being in the Navy and Air Force.

Just watched Jim and Linda get reunited. Geesh- he didn’t live all that long after the reunion. He suffered from awful PTSD. Anyone sleuths find out his cause of death yet?

I think he either committed suicide or had health issues related to PTSD. An article by Linda said “the demons from the war got him”.

HAHAHA!!! Gertrude Pruett Grymes. She died back in 2010. As much of a con she was and as much she stole...sad she lived as long as she did. Funny pic. He died on 20 Mar 1999. To this day of 4/9/20....i still can't find any info on cause of death. Found out where he was buried...plot #...born...etc...but no cause of death. Seen this segment a good 40 times and i still watch it like i have never seen it before. Just got done watching it again. Still get emotional about it cuz my dad was a Nam vet...was injured...and got a purple heart. So whenever i see it...i think of my dad and the hell he went through there being in the Navy and Air Force.


Bloop clicked the wrong button but Linda said the demons from the war got him. Likely PTSD made him drink a lot or he killed himself.

Wonder how Jim died, sad he was only 51.

The original article Kane posted is already down.

For a minute I had this confused with James P. "Jim" Meade Jr (who was also wounded in Vietnam and went looking for a nurse that helped him recover).

The obituary says he died in the hospital. Makes it seem a bit less likely it was a suicide, but there were no other clues in the obituary.

The original article Kane posted is already down.

Already? He originally posted it nearly a decade ago on 4/15/12.

Already? He originally posted it nearly a decade ago on 4/15/12.

Given that many people think of the internet as having some permanence as far as information goes, the death of articles that are only 10 years old is often something of a surprise.

Granted, its not actually unusual for articles to die after 10 years, but many people are not acutely aware of that.

For a minute I had this confused with James P. "Jim" Meade Jr (who was also wounded in Vietnam and went looking for a nurse that helped him recover).

The obituary says he died in the hospital. Makes it seem a bit less likely it was a suicide, but there were no other clues in the obituary.

A suicide can begin at home and end in a hospital.

I clearly recall Lifetime having an update saying that his death was from "natural causes." Of course, this could be inaccurate.

I found his obit

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/96174485/

and an photo/snippet about him not long after he was injured..

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/96174527/

But, nothing that points to a COD.

If you look at the pic on his obit vs what he looked like on the show.. He does look rather.. What's the expression? Rode hard and put away wet?

A suicide can begin at home and end in a hospital.

Obviously, but of deaths that occur in the hospital versus at home suicides are going to be underrepresented. A suicide with a firearm is very unlikely to begin and end in two different locations as well, and for someone of his age and sex a firearm is the most likely method.

Obviously, but of deaths that occur in the hospital versus at home suicides are going to be underrepresented. A suicide with a firearm is very unlikely to begin and end in two different locations as well, and for someone of his age and sex a firearm is the most likely method.

Some places, only a doctor can pronounce someone dead and EMTs aren't (typically) doctors.

So, they may have to load someone who is stone dead into an ambulance and take them to the hospital where they're pronounced dead.

I know Virginia is (or at least was) like this. I had a friend in high school who became an EMT. They had rules that if CPR had been started, they had to continue it until they got to a hospital where a doctor could pronounce death. He told a story about coming across someone who was STONE DEAD from an OD, the parents had started CPR and.. They had no choice but to continue it, even though the person had obviously been deceased for hours.

Florida might be the same, it's why that whole urban legend about no one ever having died at Disney World kinda got started, I think.

Some places, only a doctor can pronounce someone dead and EMTs aren't (typically) doctors.

So, they may have to load someone who is stone dead into an ambulance and take them to the hospital where they're pronounced dead.

I know Virginia is (or at least was) like this. I had a friend in high school who became an EMT. They had rules that if CPR had been started, they had to continue it until they got to a hospital where a doctor could pronounce death. He told a story about coming across someone who was STONE DEAD from an OD, the parents had started CPR and.. They had no choice but to continue it, even though the person had obviously been deceased for hours.

Florida might be the same, it's why that whole urban legend about no one ever having died at Disney World kinda got started, I think.

As soon as that ambulance door shut I would have been done with that charade.

Disney is more about the company covering up death as much as possible to keep a clean image for the park so they can keep raking in $$$$