Hannah Kobayashi is speaking out.
Six months after the 31-year-old’s disappearance led to a monthlong missing persons case that captivated the nation, she expressed gratitude for the efforts made during the investigation.
“I just want to say how grateful I am for everyone, every single person who dedicated time and energy into looking for me,” Hannah said in a now-deleted Instagram video May 19 shared by The Daily Mail. “I just want to say thank you. It means the world to me.”
The Hawaii native—whose dad Ryan Kobayashi died by suicide amid search efforts, according to the County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner—noted that she “wanted to express” that sentiment in video form.
“Every day is such a gift, especially after such loss and pain and suffering,” she added. “We should all learn to be kind to one another.”
Hannah—whose family reported her missing Nov. 12 after she missed her Nov. 11 connecting flight to New York City—was ultimately found in Mexico and returned to the U.S. Dec. 15, the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed at the time. (LAPD re-classified her case to a “voluntary missing person” Dec. 2 after she “appeared fine” and “with nobody else.”)
She plans to share more details about her disappearance eventually, telling SFGate May 19 that she understands “how some people would choose to cast me in a negative light.”
“I know who I am, I know my truth and one day, I will share it,” she shared. “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.”
Since the authorities closed the case, the photographer has been inundated with criticism about her disappearance, especially following the unexpected death of her dad.
After one social media user accused Hannah of not attending his funeral in the comments of a May 3 post, she replied that no one knows “the whole story.”
“I am going to speak about my experience and stand up against all the hate that was cast upon me,” she continued. “I hope that in your darkest hours, you are shown compassion and love versus hate and judgment.”
Hannah broke her silence one day after re-entering the U.S. in December, writing a statement to NBC News through her aunt Larie Pidgeon that she was “unaware of everything that was happening in the media” while she was in Mexico.
“My focus now is on my healing, my peace and my creativity,” she noted. “I am deeply grateful to my family and everyone who has shown me kindness and compassion during this time.”
She concluded, “I kindly ask for respect for myself, my family, and my loved ones as I navigate through this challenging time. Thank you for your understanding.”
For a look back at Hannah’s disappearance and return to the U.S., keep reading.
(E! News and NBC News are part of the NBCUniversal family.)
Hannah Kobayashi Arrives in Los Angeles
On Nov. 8, Hannah Kobayashi flew from Maui to Los Angeles, where she was supposed to catch a connecting flight to New York’s JFK International Airport, according to L.A. police.
Hannah was booked on the same flight as her ex-boyfriend. Her sister Sydni Kobayashi said, per the Los Angeles Times,that they couldn’t get a refund on the seats but had agreed to go their separate ways upon arrival in New York, where Hannah was going for a concert and a photography job.
Hannah ended up not boarding her flight out of Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) for reasons unknown, per an LAPD news release. Her bag, meanwhile, was checked through to her final destination, and she requested it be sent back to LAX.
Surveillance video reviewed by police showed the 30-year-old picking up her bag at LAX on Nov. 11.
Hannah’s Whereabouts in L.A.
Upon arrival in L.A., Hannah visited the Taschen bookstore at The Grove shopping center on Nov. 9 and texted a relative a photo of a book, her aunt Larie Pidgeon told the Los Angeles Times. Hannah also filled out a newsletter form, using her Maui address.
Family members used the photo data to track Hannah to Taschen, Larie explained, where they confirmed with employees that Hannah had been there. (Larie said she was one of the relatives who traveled from Maui to look for her niece.)
On Nov. 10, Hannah attended the LeBron XXII Trial Experience held at the Nike store at The Grove and posted a photo of Jordan-clad feet the same day, tagging the LA Times and putting her location as “City of Angels, Los Angeles CA.”
“We think she was staying around The Grove,” Larie told the Times. “It’s a pretty touristy area with a lot of shops, bookstores and museums, so we think she was just in that area sightseeing and felt safe.”
Hannah’s Texts Take a Concerning Turn, Family Reports Her Missing
Hannah’s text messages to family members had sounded normal, including laments that she hadn’t been able to get another flight yet, according to Larie.
But on Nov. 11, Larie continued, per the Times, Hannah texted another aunt that she was concerned her identity and all her money had been stolen, after which no one could get ahold of her.
“She was using words like ‘hun’ and ‘babe’ and saying ‘someone’s trying to steal my funds,'” Larie said. “She doesn’t talk like that. It was just out of character and the family sounded the alarm.”
They were “strange, cryptic messages—things about the matrix, it was so unlike her,” Larie told KTLA. “And then all of a sudden, no more communication.”
The last time Hannah had her phone turned on was at 4 p.m. on Nov. 11 at LAX, where police said she picked up her bag.
Her family reported her missing the following day.
The Last Sighting of Hannah in L.A.
Hannah’s family shared Nov. 18 that they had seen surveillance footage showing her getting off a train at the Pico Metro station near Crypto.com Arena in downtown L.A. at 10 p.m. on Nov. 11.
“It is evident that Hannah does not appear to be in good condition and she is not alone,” her family wrote on Facebook.
According to police, Hannah made her way to Union Station, about three miles away from the arena, where she used her passport to purchase a bus ticket to a spot near the California-Mexico border.
On Nov. 12, police said, she boarded a bus to San Ysidro. The community has been dubbed the “Gateway to the Americas” as it’s the most southern city in California and a popular border-crossing spot.
The Kobayashi Family Pleads for Help Finding Hannah
Family members staged a rally and passed out fliers on Nov. 21 near the downtown spot where Hannah was last seen
“Please, please do not stop saying her name, Hannah Kobayashi,” her aunt Larie said at the event, per KTLA. “Your entire family is here. The entire world is looking for you. If you can and you have access, please reach out to us. We’re not mad.”
Added Hannah’s father, Ryan Kobayashi, “She’s a beautiful girl inside and outside. Just reach out, if you can at all.”
He told NBC4 at the rally, “It’s every parents’ nightmare. We don’t know where to start, where to begin. It’s like a grain of sand in the ocean.”
Hannah’s Father Is Found Dead
Ryan Kobayashi, who was in town from Maui to look for Hannah, jumped to his death from a parking structure near LAX on the morning of Nov. 24, according to police, who responded to a report of a deceased male at the 6100 block of Century Boulevard at 4 a.m.
The L.A. County Medical Examiner’s report stated that Ryan suffered multiple blunt force traumatic injuries and the manner of death was suicide.
“It’s every parent’s nightmare,” Ryan told NBC4 at the Nov. 21 rally. “We don’t know where to start, where to begin. It’s like a grain of sand in the ocean.”
The RAD Movement, a nonprofit advocate for families of missing people, said in a statement Ryan had been in L.A. for 13 days searching for his daughter.
“This loss has compounded the family’s suffering immeasurably,” the group stated, while also emphasizing that there was still a missing woman to look for and it was “crucial for everyone to remain vigilant in their efforts to locate Hannah.”
Speculation that Ryan had something to do with Hannah’s disappearance was cruel and needed to be shut down, Larie told the LA Times. “He died of a broken heart,” she said.
Police Say Hannah Is in Mexico, Change Status to “Voluntary Missing Person”
The LAPD announced Dec. 2 that they last had eyes on Hannah crossing the border from San Ysidro into Mexico on Nov. 12, alone and carrying her luggage.
Investigators from the department’s Missing Persons Unit went to the border Dec. 1 and viewed surveillance video from U.S. Customs and Border Protection that showed her walking into Mexico, police said.
Hannah is now considered a voluntary missing person, according to the LAPD, which noted that she is not a suspect in any criminal activity, nor has their investigation uncovered any evidence of human trafficking or foul play.
“Our priority is ensuring Ms. Kobayashi’s safety and well-being,” LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said at a news conference. “We urge Ms. Kobayashi to contact her family, law enforcement or personnel at the U.S. Embassy to let us know she is safe. She has the right to privacy, and we respect her choices, but we also understand the concern her loved ones feel. A simple message could reassure those who care about her.”
In a statement to NBC News, Hannah’s family said they remained hopeful that she was safe and they were still looking for her.
“The search is far from over,” they said Dec. 3, “and we are committed to doing everything possible to bring her home safely. We want answers and a resolution that ensures Hannah’s safety and urge law enforcement and the public to stay focused on finding her and to avoid speculative conclusions.”
Hannah’s Family Says She’s Safe
On Dec. 11, Hannah’s sister Sydni and mom Brandi Yee said they had made contact with her.
“We are incredibly relieved and grateful that Hannah has been found safe,” they said in a statement to NBC News. “This past month has been an unimaginable ordeal for our family, and we kindly ask for privacy as we take the time to heal and process everything we have been through.”
Hannah Breaks Her Silence
After returning from Mexico to the United States Dec. 15, which prompted police to close her missing persons case, Hannah reacted to the traction her departure caused.
“I was unaware of everything that was happening in the media while I was away,” she wrote in a statement through her aunt Larie Pidgeon to NBC News, “and I am still processing it all.”
And now, she’s focusing on the future.
“My focus now is on my healing, my peace and my creativity,” she continued. “I am deeply grateful to my family and everyone who has shown me kindness and compassion during this time.”
