The mystery that has haunted Rick Brown for 55 years has been solved.
The friend he saw being brutally beaten at a training school in Cobourg, Ontario in 1963 survived that night.
In fact, James Forbes is alive and well and living in London, Ontario not far from Brown's home.
Now 68, Forbes says he was shocked this week when an officer called to confirm he was alive.
He says he had no idea Brown was wondering about him or about a class action against the government over the training schools.
Brown, who lives in Kitchener, Ontario says he's elated to find out Forbes is alive and the men plan to meet soon.