Update (June 21, 2021): Andrew Neiman’s death was confirmed Saturday after his body was discovered on the shoreline of the Hudson River in Poughkeepsie Wednesday.
Andy Neiman sought mental health treatment in Poughkeepsie’s Mid-Hudson Regional Hospital before suddenly going missing on May 21. The last image of him was in the hospital wearing green scrubs and socks.
The St. Louis, Missouri-based playwright and actor, 48, was visiting his sister’s family in Ulster County prior to his disappearance.
His sister Emily Abramson describes the last two weeks as “mental jujitsu” for her.
“If I think too much about it, I can get really lost,” she said. “My joy goes down, and fear goes up.”
Warning signs were present before he visited Abramson’s family in High Falls, New York.
Diagnosed with bipolar disorder, Neiman was in and out of treatment since the middle of March. During the pandemic, he experienced job loss as his industry shut down, and had other troubles prior to COVID-19.
A psychotic break led to his hospital visit. Prior to receiving treatment, Abramson was concerned for Neiman’s safety.
“I think he could perceive my suspicion, worry, and judgement,” she said.
Since his disappearance, Neiman’s family has received support from far and wide.
Over 2,000 people joined a Facebook group to aid in the search for Neiman, leading to a number of local search coordination efforts.
A GoFundMe page surpassed the $40,000 goal to continue the search.
Bravo television star Andy Cohen, a former classmate of Neiman’s in the St. Louis area, took to Facebook to post the missing persons poster.
Abramson is grateful for the nationwide support she and her family have received in the search for her brother.
“People with eyes on the ground, in various ways, are trying to keep [the search] alive,” she said.
