The family of James “Weston” Higginbotham is mourning the loss of the Auburn University student after his body was found in Japan following a days-long search that drew support from people around the world.

Weston, 20, disappeared during a family trip to Japan and was later found dead by a volunteer search-and-rescue team in a mountainous area outside Kyoto, his mother, Nancy Higginbotham, announced on Saturday.

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Sharing the heartbreaking news on social media, Nancy reflected on the devastating loss faced by her family.

“The grief we feel is impossible to put into words,” she wrote.

“We are forever grateful for the time we had with our sweet, precious Weston, but cannot begin to understand what life without him will be like.”

Nancy and her husband, Keith Higginbotham, also expressed gratitude to the thousands of people who followed Weston’s story and helped during the search effort.

“We are deeply grateful to the countless people across the United States, Japan, and around the world who shared Weston’s story, prayed for our family, offered encouragement, and helped in the search efforts,” she wrote.

Mom of Missing Auburn Student Found Dead Says Family 'Cannot Begin To Understand What Life Without Him Will Be Like'

“The outpouring of kindness and support has carried us through the darkest days of our lives.”

Weston, a junior majoring in biosystems engineering at Auburn University, was last seen on surveillance footage on May 29 after getting off a train in Kyoto’s Yamashina district.

According to his family, it remains unclear whether he boarded another train afterward. Because of his extensive hiking experience and love of the outdoors, relatives believed he may have headed toward one of the hiking trails near Yamashina. His last known phone activity also occurred that evening.

The Higginbotham family had been traveling together in Japan since May 25 when Weston disappeared.

Mom of Missing Auburn Student Found Dead Says Family 'Cannot Begin To Understand What Life Without Him Will Be Like'

Nancy previously told NBC News that her son walked away after an argument involving her use of ChatGPT during the vacation. Family members later worried he may have been emotionally upset when he left on his own.

As the search intensified, Nancy and Keith personally joined efforts to locate their son, distributing missing-person flyers throughout Kyoto and exploring wooded areas themselves.

In a social media update posted June 2, Nancy described the challenges they faced while searching after dark.

“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,” she wrote. “If anyone wants to join us after the storm, I would be grateful.”

The family’s search efforts were complicated by severe weather after a typhoon moved through the region, creating difficult and potentially dangerous conditions.

On June 3, authorities deployed approximately 50 police officers, K-9 teams, and helicopters to search the forests and mountains outside Yamashina. Officials noted that steep slopes and wet terrain made the operation especially challenging.

Despite the extensive efforts, it was ultimately a volunteer search-and-rescue team that located Weston in the mountains outside Kyoto.

In announcing his death, Nancy asked for privacy as the family begins to cope with the tragedy.

“Thank you for your thoughts, prayers, and support. We will need them now more than ever,” she wrote.

“We will always love you, Weston.”