James “Weston” Higginbotham, 20, was found dead near Kyoto, his family confirmed in a social media post. The statement did not provide details of the cause of death.
“We are heartbroken to share the news that a volunteer rescue group has found Weston dead in a mountainous area outside of Kyoto. The grief we feel is beyond words,” the family wrote.
Weston, an avid nature lover, went missing on May 29. He broke away from his parents and brother to explore Kyoto on his own, after arguing with his mother about her using ChatGPT to plan trips, which he criticized for consuming resources.
Tracking his location through the Life360 app, his parents saw him get on a train and visit a few shops. Shortly after that, his location went offline, which was unusual for his behavior.
He was last seen on surveillance cameras walking alone in the Yamashina district, toward a path leading to a mountain forest. On June 2, the police launched a search, but were hampered by a strong storm with heavy rain and wind.
More than 100 police officers, sniffer dogs and helicopters participated in the search, but the official operation lasted 72 hours and was later suspended. After that, the family organized their own search with the help of local residents and a private rescue team.
After the body was found, the family thanked everyone who helped and shared information.
His mother, Nancy Higginbotham, described him as a great lover of nature and travel, who was constantly learning and exploring the world. He studied sustainable development engineering and recently became a vegan.
“He loved being outside, walking and hiking at any time of the day,” his mother said, adding that he always carried a book about butterflies on his travels and dreamed of traveling the world and meeting different cultures.
(Vijesti.ba)
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