The parents of a missing American college student James “Weston” Higginbotham are making another emotional appeal for help, as the search continues in Japan.

James “Weston” Higginbotham, 20, disappeared in the Kyoto area on May 29 while traveling in Japan with his parents, Nancy and Keith Higginbotham. According to his mom, he left their hotel room after “bickering with each other.”

“He just needed time by himself, just like we all did,” the mom said. “We just needed some separation.”

She said Weston arrived at the train station in Kyoto on Friday evening shortly after 8 p.m, and wrote on Facebook that authorities later confirmed he had exited at Yamashina Station, according to PEOPLE.

The family’s ability to follow his whereabouts ended minutes later. Nancy told Fox News that his phone stopped connecting to the network at 8:29 p.m., which meant the Life360 tracking app no longer worked. She said relatives continued trying to contact him, but their messages never appeared to be delivered.

The family remains hopeful

In a video statement released Wednesday, June 3, the couple thanked the public for the support.

“Every time that you guys repost on social media, it’s an opportunity for somebody in Japan to see it. That is our ultimate goal, is for people in Japan to see Weston’s face so they could report back to us,” she said, according to PEOPLE.

The worried mother also spoke about her son’s character: “He has a heart of gold, and we all want him to come back safely.”

James “Weston” Higginbotham’s disappearance

Keith said the family remains hopeful: “We’re gonna find him because of everyone’s help in posting and getting the word out, so we can find the person who is gonna find him,” he said.

The latest appeal comes after several emotional messages from the family asking both authorities and the public to assist in the search for the Auburn University student. In a Facebook post shared Monday, June 1, Nancy pushed back against speculation surrounding her son’s disappearance.

“He is not detained from a [night] out partying,” Nancy said. “The police have confirmed this. Please, I beg you, be kind. I’m already in so much pain.”

The post included photos of Weston and additional details about the circumstances surrounding his disappearance. According to Nancy, her son is “a very experienced hiker” and may have left for a trail after he was last seen getting off a train in Yamashina. She said he may have “intentionally chosen a quiet trail.”

“He may be emotionally distressed, so this is urgent,” Nancy wrote, according to PEOPLE.

“He has a heart of gold”

The search has also been complicated by severe weather in the region.

“My husband and I went last night with flashlights and headlamps and didn’t get too far because we weren’t prepared for the wildlife we encountered,” Nancy wrote Tuesday. “If anyone wants to join us after the storm, I would be grateful.”

In another video shared Tuesday, June 2, Nancy again spoke about her son as the search continued. “If you know Weston, you know what a great kid he is,” she said. “He has a heart of gold.”

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