A heartbreaking chapter unfolded in the desperate search for 30-year-old Hannah Kobayashi, a Hawaiian woman who vanished over two weeks ago while traveling to New York City. Her father, 58-year-old Ryan Kobayashi, tragically took his own life early Sunday near Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) while tirelessly searching for his missing daughter.
Police confirmed that Ryan leapt from a parking structure near LAX around 4 a.m. The devastating news comes as the Kobayashi family continues to reel from Hannah’s mysterious disappearance.
Ryan had flown to Los Angeles to personally lead efforts to locate Hannah, who went missing after failing to make a connecting flight at LAX on November 8. Described as a devoted father, Ryan’s heartbreak became evident in a recent interview. “I miss her,” he told KTLA earlier this week. “Just want her to know that, and just want her to reach out—anything.”
But the weight of 13 days of fruitless searching appears to have taken its toll. In a statement released by the nonprofit RAD Movement, which has been assisting the Kobayashi family, the group said, “The Kobayashi family endured a devastating tragedy today. After tirelessly searching throughout Los Angeles for 13 days, Hannah’s father, Ryan Kobayashi, tragically took his own life. This loss has compounded the family’s suffering immeasurably.”
The organization asked for privacy for the grieving family and urged the public to refocus on the search for Hannah, whose whereabouts remain unknown.
Hannah had been traveling from Maui to New York City on what her family described as a “bucket list” trip to visit her aunt. After landing at LAX, she was supposed to board a connecting flight but missed it just 42 minutes later.
Surveillance footage confirmed her arrival at LAX, but odd and troubling text messages she sent shortly after have fueled fears for her safety. In one message, she claimed she had been “tricked into pretty much giving away all my funds.” Another cryptic message read, “Deep Hackers wiped my identity, stole all of my funds, & have had me on a mind f–k since Friday.”
Family members insist these messages were uncharacteristic of Hannah, with her aunt, Larie Pidgeon, saying, “She mentioned feeling scared and that someone might be trying to steal her money and identity. Strange, cryptic messages—things about the matrix. It was so unlike her. And then all of a sudden, no more communication.”
Hannah was spotted at the Grove shopping center in Los Angeles on November 9 and 10. Surveillance footage later captured her returning to LAX on November 11, where she was seen near the metro station but never boarded a flight.
Her phone has been turned off since November 11, and her family has filed reports with the LAPD, LAX authorities, and the FBI.
As the Kobayashi family mourns Ryan’s loss, they remain determined to find Hannah. Described as 5 feet 10 inches tall, 140 pounds, with brown hair, brown eyes, fair skin, and freckles, Hannah’s disappearance has gripped the nation.
For a family already shattered by one loss, hope now rests on the collective efforts to bring Hannah home. Anyone with information is urged to come forward to help end this harrowing ordeal.
