The family of James Weston Higginbotham has broken their silence since his body was discovered in Japan, describing a grief that is impossible to put into words.
Weston, a 20-year-old junior at Auburn University, vanished on May 29 while traveling with his parents in the Kyoto region.
A volunteer search-and-rescue group located his remains in a wooded area outside Kyoto on Saturday, bringing a heartbreaking end to a search that had mobilized police officers, K-9 units, helicopters, and volunteers across the difficult terrain near Kyoto.
Nancy Higginbotham reflected on the loss of her son in a social media post, thanking the thousands of people who helped search for him.
She wrote, "The grief we feel is impossible to put into words. We are forever grateful for the time we had with our sweet, precious Weston, but cannot begin to understand what life without him will be like."
Nancy also expressed gratitude to supporters around the world who shared information about Weston’s disappearance and participated in search efforts.
The family is now asking for privacy as they process the tragedy.
