Nancy Higginbotham Thanks Supporters in June 2 Missing Auburn Student Video

Nancy and Keith Higginbotham thanked supporters in a June 2 video as the search for missing Auburn student James "Weston" Higginbotham continued in Japan. Nancy said online reposts are helping spread Weston’s face to people there. The family’s message tied the public response to the search effort now centered on Japan.

Nancy Higginbotham June 2

Nancy Higginbotham said the family feels the support coming from Alabama and from the community in Japan. "We truly feel them," she said. She added, "We feel the love and the support that you guys have given us and that the community in Japan has given us as well."

Weston is a 20-year-old Auburn University student from Hoover. According to Facebook posts from his mother, he was last confirmed to have been in the Kyoto area of Japan on May 29. That gives the family’s public message a fixed point in the search and shows why they have kept asking people to share information online.

Social Media Reach

Nancy Higginbotham said reposts are a direct way to widen the search. "Every time that you guys repost on social media, it's an opportunity for somebody in Japan to see it," she said. She also said, "Our ultimate goal is for people in Japan to see Weston's face so that they can report back to us."

Keith and Nancy Higginbotham said they remain hopeful Weston will be found safely. Nancy said, "We're continuing to get closer and closer to finding him," and added, "We're confident we're going to find him because of everybody's help and posting and getting the word out."

Asbury United Methodist Church

Friends, family members, and community supporters gathered Tuesday evening at Asbury United Methodist Church in Shelby County for a prayer vigil. Family members have also encouraged the public to keep sharing awareness posts, keeping the search active across state lines and into Japan.

The June 2 video makes the family’s request plain: keep Weston’s photo moving. For people who have been sharing posts, the next step is to keep doing that so the search reaches as many eyes in Japan as possible.