Hannah Kobayashi's family is offering donations to anyone who offered support through GoFundMe following her family's announcement that she had been found safe in Mexico.
"We are incredibly relieved and grateful that Hannah has been found safe. This past month has been an unimaginable ordeal for our family. We want to express our heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported us during this difficult time. Your kindness and concern have meant the world to us," the family wrote in an update on GoFundMe. "We are turning donations off, and any donor who would like a refund can submit a claim by December 18th, and it will be honored."
The Kobayashi saga began in November after the 30-year-old from Hawaii did not board her connecting flight to New York. The family, unable to locate or communicate with her, launched an effort to find her. The search took a tragic turn when Hannah's father, Ryan, 58, killed himself Nov. 24. His body was found in a parking lot near LAX, The Independent reported.
L.A. police determined that Kobayashi voluntarily traveled to Tijuana, Mexico, on Nov. 12, one day after she was last seen, according to PEOPLE. The police found video footage of Kobayashi walking into Tijuana alone and found no evidence of foul play or any crime.
"We urge Ms. Kobayashi to contact her family, law enforcement or personnel at the U.S. Embassy to let us know that she is safe," Police Chief McDonnell on Monday, Dec. 2. "She has a right to her privacy and we respect her choices, but we also understand that the concern her loved ones feel for her. A simple message could reassure those who care about her."
Initially, the family challenged the police finding, announcing that they would continue the search. But, on Dec. 11 the family released a statement on X: "We are incredibly relieved and grateful that Hannah has been found safe. This past month has been an unimaginable ordeal for our family, and we kindly ask for privacy as we take the time to heal and process everything we have been through. We want to express our heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported us during this difficult time. Your kindness and concern have meant the world to us."
