Early Life

Luke LaChance was born in 1979 in St. Louis, Missouri, to Michelle LaChance, who was 19 years old at the time of his birth. He was raised by his single mother and never knew his father. In 1983, when Luke was four years old, he and his mother relocated to the small town of Rotborough in search of better opportunities and support.

Illness and Diagnosis

Turning Point and Recovery

In an interview with NewViews.com, Luke recounted the pivotal role his mother played in sustaining his spirit during this period. He recalled her holding him and whispering: "You weren't born a quitter… You'll be fine one day, I just know it. One day you'll be so strong, you'll be able to pick me up and help me when I need it."

His mother's words, he stated, became a mantra that echoed in his mind during the long, silent hours of his immobility. Despite the overwhelming odds, Luke began to engage in deep states of visualizing movement. Gradually, over a period of years, he began to regain sensation and control over his body.

By the age of twelve, Luke had made what doctors described as a complete and unexplainable recovery. He was able to walk, speak, and function independently—a feat that defied all medical expectations.

Public Reaction and Legacy

News of Luke's recovery quickly spread throughout Rotborough and surrounding areas. Locals began to regard him as someone chosen for a greater purpose, with many believing that his recovery was a sign of divine favor. His story attracted media attention and was often cited in discussions of medical anomalies and the power of the human spirit.

There were, however, skeptics of this miracle as the Bloom Heights Gazette quickly tried their best to throw cold water on the entire article posted in the Rotborough Bulletin about Luke's recovery:

This and other slanderous articles only went on to further fuel the rivalry between Rotborough and Bloom Heights, eventually culminating in the Rotborough riots following a homecoming football game between Rotborough High and Bloom Heights Prep.

Skeptical excerpt from Bloom Heights Gazette

Rise to Local Fame

Following his extraordinary recovery, Luke LaChance quickly became a figure of fascination and admiration within the town of Rotborough. Residents, amazed by what they perceived as a miraculous turn of events, began referring to him by nicknames such as "Lucky Luke" and "Luck-a-Billy." These monikers, initially playful, soon took on a more reverent tone as tales of Luke's apparent good fortune began to circulate. Over time, a kind of local mythology developed around Luke. Some townspeople claimed that simply being in his presence brought them luck, healed minor ailments, or resulted in unexpected good fortune. These stories, though anecdotal, became a staple of Rotborough's communal lore. People would visit the LaChance home under the pretense of casual conversation, hoping to receive what they half-jokingly referred to as a "blessing" by proximity.

While Luke himself never publicly endorsed these beliefs, his calm demeanor and humble attitude only seemed to reinforce the townspeople's belief in him. He was often invited to school events, local fairs, and community gatherings—not only as a guest but as a symbolic figure of hope and fortune. For some, he came to represent a kind of living miracle. Local churches even referenced his story in sermons, drawing parallels between his recovery and biblical healings. Though not formally associated with any religious institution, Luke became the subject of a subtle quasi-religious reverence within the town, with some residents treating him as a spiritual beacon.

Life After High School

Luke LaChance at his Rotborough High School graduation

Following his graduation from Rotborough High School, details about Luke LaChance's life became increasingly scarce. Unlike his earlier years, which were marked by local media coverage and community fascination, Luke chose a more private path after leaving town to pursue higher education. He enrolled at a university out of state, though the specific institution has never been publicly confirmed.

Public Service Career and Later Life

Speculation and Conspiracy surrounding his disappearance

After Luke's disappearance, many began to speculate that Mayor Gray may have been involved, with many immediately pointing the finger at Gray following a strange string of disappearances involving locals and the Rotborough Sewer Rehabilitation Plan (RSRP). His vanishing sparked a flurry of rumors, conspiracy theories, and public suspicion, with many pointing to his close ties to Mayor Gray Jones and the controversial RSRP. The RSRP was initiated to address a growing crisis in the town's aging water and sewage infrastructure. Luke was appointed lead engineer, tasked with eliminating a mysterious spore or bacterial contamination believed to be infecting the water supply. However, as the project began securing funding, two local boys went missing within the sewer system, fueling distrust and fear.

Conspiracy and Rumor

Supposed image of the "wretch" sourced from footage obtained at an estate sale highlighting two inspectors scouting the sewer for the RSRP.

Locals spoke of a creature—"The Wretch of Rotborough"—said to inhabit the sewer's depths. Grainy photographs and videos surfaced of a disfigured, tall humanoid figure seen entering and exiting manholes and sewer entryways in the dead of night. Though Mayor Jones dismissed the figure as an unnamed homeless man and called the rumors nothing but urban legend meant to scare school children, many were unconvinced. The monster, some believed, was not only real but responsible for the contamination and the disappearances. After all this, Dr. Spinn Public Image Insurance began working with Mayor Gray on a PR campaign to try and save the RSRP, with him satirizing and personifying these complaints as a character named Nosy Ned. This antiquated and tone-deaf response to what the public perceived to be legitimate complaints also did not sit well with locals, with it feeling more like hand-waving the issue and trying to downplay the severity of the missing boys. This, in turn, only made locals more suspicious of Gray and, by extension, Luke.

"Nosy Ned" Character Concept Image for Mayor Gray Jones

Dr. Spinn Public Image Insurance office exterior

The Day Of His Disappearance

On the day of his disappearance, Luke LaChance experienced a series of increasingly bizarre and unfortunate events that some have since described as unnaturally orchestrated.

According to surveillance footage and witness reports, Luke awoke late, which caused him to miss a critical funding meeting for the final phase of the Rotborough Sewer Rehabilitation Plan (RSRP). What happened between leaving his home and ending up in the hospital is anyone's guess. However, medical records obtained from Saint Mary's Baptist Holy Redemption Regional Medical Health Memorial Hospital suggest he must have at some point spilled either coffee or hot water on himself and suffered a fall, as he was received in the ER with 2nd degree burns and a fractured forearm. When they found his body, there was a receipt for Stop'n'Slop in his pocket, so it is speculated he had been there to maybe purchase lunch following his release from the hospital. Surveillance cameras from the exterior of the building show him entering at 3:42 PM, but he did not reemerge for at least another hour and a half. How he managed to walk from the hospital to the Stop'N'Slop is unclear as they were miles apart from each other.

Upon exiting, investigators surmise that he must have been accosted by robbers, as a "kick me" sign was taped to his back when he was found, as well as multiple scrapes, bruises, and cuts (unrelated to the physical trauma observed at his suspected time of death). Investigators initially pegged his then-girlfriend as the one responsible for this, as the words "CHEATER" and "IT'S OVER" were written on his arm cast. But she was dropped as a person of interest as she had been out of town when he went missing. Handwriting analysts also concluded the handwriting on his arm cast did not match hers.

Internal documents within the Rotborough Mayor-Council show that he was also terminated from his position as civil engineer the day he went missing, citing failed oversight, mounting controversy with The RSRP, and increasing public pressure.

The last known sighting of Luke

Blue Roan Bar and Grill on its opening day, 2003

Later that night, Luke was seen at The Blue Roan, a quiet bar in the heart of Rotborough. According to narrative affidavits collected following the disappearance, the bartender of The Blue Roan, Sebastian Vonora, said he didn't know either of the men, but the way they spoke to each other seemed friendly, as if they'd been friends a long time.

Luke was never seen alive following the events of this encounter. The following morning, on October 15th, 2004, Luke was reported missing by his mother.

Death and Further Speculation

Days later, investigators found the body of Luke LaChance in Tenpenny Nature Park, roughly 5 miles from his house. Crime scene photos taken at Luke's home indicated a bloody struggle; however, no murder weapon or DNA was found at the scene. Rotborough CSI were puzzled, as the only thing found other than Luke's blood were trace samples of mold spores that had been contaminating the water supply. Investigators placed his time of death as the 15th of October, somewhere between 2:00-3:00 AM. What little remained of Luke's body was ritualistically disfigured and displayed in a manner that defied conventional understanding—positioned in a shrine-like formation. News of this reached Michelle LaChance, who, following this, committed suicide by hanging. The events that took place following Luke's death have never reached the public domain, until now.

Crime scene photos from Luke LaChance's home

The Aftermath

Following Luke's death, suspicion began to immediately surround Mayor Jones, as cell phone records obtained in the investigation show that he was the last person to speak to Luke. Shortly thereafter, a political firestorm kicked up as the citizens of Rotborough began to heckle his public speeches, calling him a murderer and a liar, escalating with people harassing him outside of his home. Eventually culminating in his expulsion and impeachment from office. After his impeachment, he seemed himself to just disappear, not in a similar vein to Luke, but he was rarely seen in public, with many theorizing he sneakily moved from Rotborough to another state.

The following audio was obtained in the aftermath of Luke's disappearance and helps to paint a true picture of what we believe was TRULY going on: