Patricia Kopta, Pittsburgh street preacher missing since 1992, found alive in Puerto Rico

Her husband reported her missing in 1992

She was a street preacher and then she left her husband and disappeared?

Bizarre stuff

[link to www.youtube.com (secure)]

This video uploaded 16 years ago



[link to www.youtube.com (secure)]

[link to www.youtube.com (secure)]

She ought to be thrown in jail. How much public money was spent trying to locate her while she took a 30 year vacation to Puerto Rico?

Weird stuff

J

[link to wikibin.org]

Patricia Kopta

Patricia Kopta (birthdate unknown) was a notable eccentric figure in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Kopta was known as "The Sparrow". Her nickname was bestowed upon her because of her small stature. She was also referred to by other nicknames, including "Miracle Patty".

Overview
Kopta was a housewife from the northwest side of the city, in Ross Township, where she shared a home with her husband. She had worked in downtown Pittsburgh at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh as an elevator operator. She had been part of the downtown cultural scene; she loved to dance and was often seen at the defunct Pittsburgh nightclub "Heaven". At one time, she had even auditioned for a spot on the syndicated show Dance Fever.

Kopta believed that one day, while she was at work, the Virgin Mary appeared to her to tell her that the world was ending, and to pass that message on to others. She mounted a one-woman campaign to do so. It was unclear whether Kopta experienced a vision, or was suffering from mental illness.

For many years, beginning in the early 1980s, Kopta would commute to the downtown Pittsburgh area every day. She would appear at any large cultural event, such as rock concerts, symphony performances, or a theatrical event, as well as stand outside of large office buildings, like Pittsburgh's PPG Place or Gateway Center, and disseminate her message. Kopta was a departure from the standard perception of a "street person", as she was immaculately dressed and coiffed.

The exact wording of her messages varied, but she often mentioned nuclear war or "the darkness" coming, and she pleaded with people that when the time came, they were to "go inside for three days".

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