In a heartbreaking turn of events, Ryan Kobayashi, the father of missing Hawaii woman Hannah Kobayashi, was discovered dead on Sunday in a car park near Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The 58-year-old had traveled from Hawaii to California in hopes of finding his 30-year-old daughter, who vanished earlier this month during a layover on her journey to New York City.

Hannah last communicated with her family after arriving at LAX on November 8, just before she went missing. She was en route to New York to visit her aunt, Geordan Montalvo, and attend a much-anticipated concert that she considered a "bucket list" experience. However, her planned trip took a vanished trajectory, raising alarm bells among her family and friends.

On the day she went missing, family members reported receiving concerning text messages from Hannah's phone. In those messages, she claimed to have been "tricked pretty much into giving away all my funds" to someone she believed she loved. Heightening the mystery, she had been spotted at a Los Angeles mall on November 10 and on surveillance footage the next day near a downtown metro train station with an unidentified person.

As search efforts intensified, Ryan Kobayashi was actively involved in the search for his daughter. Tragically, on Monday, a non-profit organization known as the RAD Movement, which was assisting in the search, confirmed that he had died by suicide—prompting an outpouring of grief and support from the community.

"This loss has compounded the family's suffering immeasurably," the RAD Movement stated on social media. They stressed the importance of continuing the search for Hannah, noting that she is still considered missing and believed to be in imminent danger. The organization urged the public to remain vigilant in the ongoing search for her well-being.

Prior to his death, Ryan expressed the emotional toll that Hannah's disappearance took on him. He described his state of mind to reporters at a rally: “We’re just trying to get us as much information as we can,” adding that the turmoil of the situation left him feeling like "everything is just a blur."

The community, together with local authorities, remains committed to finding Hannah Kobayashi and urges anyone with information to come forward. The Kobayashi family will now take the time needed to grieve this monumental loss while holding onto the hope of reuniting with Hannah.