Hannah Kobayashi breaks silence six months after disappearance, father's suicide

Yahoo

20-05-2025

LOS ANGELES - If you or a loved one is feeling distressed, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The crisis center provides free and confidential emotional support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
The Brief
Hannah Kobayashi has seemingly addressed her father's suicide six months after her disappearance gained nationwide attention.
The Hawaii native was reported missing in November and was later found to have been on a solo trip to Mexico unaware of the search.
Kobayashi's family revealed on Dec. 11 that Hannah had been "found safe" following what police later called a "voluntary disappearance" into Mexico.
Hannah Kobayashi, who made headlines last year after she apparently went missing after failing to catch a connecting flight to New York City from Los Angeles, is speaking out for the first time almost six months after her voluntary disappearance.
What we know
Kobayashi recently spoke out about "loss and pain and suffering" in a series of Instagram Stories posted over the weekend which have since disappeared.
In a video shared by the Daily Mail, Kobayashi thanked "every single person who dedicated time and energy into looking for me" amid the search, adding, "Every day is such a gift, especially after such loss and pain and suffering. We should all learn to be kind to one another."
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Hannah Kobayashi: Hawaii woman who temporarily went missing found safe, family says
On May 4, Kobayashi returned to social media by sharing a black and white picture along with the caption, "For all that i have yet to say, the love in my heart remains the same, for every being that exists and those to come..."
"To go deep within and bear witness to your unwaivering resilience is a true remembrance. more powerful than you could ever imagine. rise up against tyranny, rise up against hate," she wrote. "Overcome fear~and nothing will ever stop you from becoming that in which you are destined."
Dig deeper
Amid the search for Kobayashi, her father, Ryan Kobayashi, who was in town aiding in the search for his daughter, was found dead in a parking lot near Los Angeles International Airport on Nov. 24.
According to the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner's report, his manner of death was listed as suicide.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Father of Hannah Kobayashi found dead near LAX
In the comments section of her recent Instagram post, Kobayashi responded to a discussion about why she didn't go to her father's funeral.
"You don't know the whole story. my intention in this post is to acknowledge that I am going to speak about my experience — and to stand up against all the hate that was cast upon me. I hope that in your darkest hours, you are shown compassion and love versus hate and judgment," she wrote.
The backstory
Kobayashi was reported missing by her family on Nov. 12 after she did not board a connecting flight from Maui to New York City. Her phone last pinged at LAX on Nov. 11, where she was seen talking to an American Airlines agent but did not board a flight.
During a press conference on Dec. 2, LA Police Chief Jim McDonnell said they had determined Kobayashi voluntarily crossed the border into Mexico on Nov. 12 based on surveillance footage, and urged her to contact family.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Hannah Kobayashi returns to US from Mexico weeks after 'voluntary disappearance' in Los Angeles
Authorities said based on their investigation, Kobayashi left LAX and went to Union Station, where she was also seen on surveillance camera. There, she bought a bus ticket to Mexico.
Relatives said they were investigating the possibility that Kobayashi may have been involved in a green card marriage scam after her mother reportedly found immigration documents at her Maui home. It's unclear if this claim is valid.
Her family offered refunds to anyone who donated to the GoFundMe page that raised nearly $50,000 for search efforts and her family's funeral.
Kobayashi returned to the U.S. from Mexico on Dec. 15.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Hannah Kobayashi: Missing woman safely crossed U.S.-Mexico border, LAPD says
She told People magazine that she had been unaware of the media coverage of her disappearance. "My focus now is on my healing, my peace and my creativity," Kobayashi said.
What's next
Speaking to SFGate on Monday, Kobayashi said she'd eventually share more details regarding her voluntary disappearance soon.
"Given my particular situation on the other side of my experience, I understand how some people would choose to cast me in a negative light, but I know who I am, I know my truth and one day, I will share it," she said on Instagram, the publication reported.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Family of woman who went missing on cross-country vacation says cryptic texts sent from phone unlike her
"I do believe that we can all learn to be kinder to one another because we never really know what someone else has been through unless we've walked in their shoes," she added.
The Source
Information for this story is from the Instagram account of Hannah Kobayashi and previous FOX 11 reports.