James “Weston” Higginbotham, 20, was with his family on vacation in Japan to celebrate his brother’s graduation, but he went missing on May 29.
For over a week, Weston’s parents, Nancy and Keith, searched with with Japanese authorities to locate their son. The FBI and the U.S. Embassy in Japan were involved in the search as well.
In addition to the prayers and efforts made by his parents, the family’s local church in Birmingham, Alabama, called Asbury United Methodist Church, held a prayer vigil on June 2, praying for the family and for Weston’s safe return.
Weston’s grandfather, Robert Holt, told WVTM 13:
“Try to assure them that they’re not alone — that they have a whole lot of people — and most importantly, they’ve got God. It’s his decision on how things go in our daily lives — period. Whatever your beliefs may or may not be, mine is very simple. God is in control, and with that said, ‘God, please.’”
However, on Saturday, June 6, eight days after the Auburn University student went missing, he was tragically found dead.
Through all of this, Weston’s mother, Nancy, never gave up hope as she searched through Japan, saying in one of her numerous Facebook posts, “We will not lose hope.”
Weston’s Mom Shares That He Was Found Deceased
On June 6, after days of searching and giving desperate interviews on news outlets in hopes of making Weston’s face known to the public in Japan, Weston Higginbotham was tragically found dead.
Our family is heartbroken to share that Weston was found deceased by a volunteer search-and-rescue group in a mountainous area outside of Kyoto,” Nancy wrote on June 6. “The grief we feel is impossible to put into words.”
She then wrote, “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.”
Thanking those who assisted with the search for Weston, including Japanese and American authorities, as well as those who have reached out and prayed, she wrote, “The outpouring of kindness and support has carried us through the darkest days of our lives.”
Nearing the conclusion of her post, she wrote, “We shared our story here and in the media in the hope of finding Weston. We now ask for privacy as we begin to navigate this unimaginable loss.”
Noting the Higginbotham family will need prayers “now more than ever,” she simply ended her post by writing, “Weston, we will always love you.”
