Prior to having his license stripped for performing surgery under the influence of alcohol, he was the Chief of Surgery at St. Sebastian Hospital. After being fired, Christian left for Australia with Ana Lucia, where he died as a result of an alcohol-induced heart attack. After the crash of Oceanic Flight 815, his coffin was found but Christian's body was mysteriously missing. Despite his death, Christian has subsequently appeared and spoken with people both on and off the Island. The Man in Black, able to take on the form of the deceased, claimed he had been impersonating Christian after his death.