Hannah Kobayashi Breaks Silence After Disappearance, Father’s Suicide to Reflect on ‘Loss, Pain and Suffering’ [Video]

After her family reported her missing in November, Hannah was the focus of a month-long search.

Hannah Kobayashi is opening up about her grief, nearly six months after her father, Ryan Kobayashi, tragically died by suicide.

The 30-year-old from Hawaii made national headlines last November when she left Maui on November 8, 2024, and then went missing after failing to catch a connecting flight to New York City from Los Angeles.

It wasn’t until December 11 that Hannah’s family revealed she had been “found safe,” after what authorities later described as a “voluntary” disappearance into Mexico.

During the weeks-long search for Hannah, her father, Ryan, 58, traveled to Los Angeles to look for his daughter. Unfortunately, on November 24, two weeks after Hannah went missing, Ryan was found dead in a parking lot near Los Angeles International Airport. His cause of death was ruled as multiple blunt force traumatic injuries, and the manner of death was listed as suicide, according to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s report.

In the wake of this heartbreaking death, Hannah has returned to Instagram to speak about “loss and pain and suffering.” Over the weekend, she shared an emotional Instagram Stories post, which has since been deleted or expired.

In the video, which has since been shared by the Daily Mail, she expressed her gratitude, thanking “every single person who dedicated time and energy into looking for me.”

She added, “Every day is such a gift, especially after such loss and pain and suffering. We should all learn to be kind to one another,” though she did not directly mention her father.

NEW: Hannah Kobayashi breaks silence six months after her father took his own life while searching for her

Kobayashi disappeared late last year while traveling from Hawaii to visit family in New York

She was last seen on surveillance video leaving LAX during a layover

Her… pic.twitter.com/UFndRmMMeC

— Unlimited L's (@unlimited_ls) May 20, 2025

Hannah also spoke to SFGate on May 19, revealing that she plans to share more details about her disappearance in the future. “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.

“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,” Hannah added.

On May 4, Hannah returned to Instagram, sharing a black-and-white photo of trees, as she shared a reflective message.

“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…” she wrote. “To go deep within and bear witness to your unwavering resilience is a true remembrance. More powerful than you could ever imagine. Rise up against tyranny, rise up against hate. Overcome fear and nothing will ever stop you from becoming that in which you are destined.”

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A post shared by Hannah Kobayashi (@midorieve)

In the comments, Hannah addressed a question about why she didn’t attend 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 said in a response to a commenter.

After her return to the U.S. in December, Hannah spoke to PEOPLE in a statement, via her aunt, Larie Pidgeon.

“My focus now is on my healing, my peace, and my creativity. I am deeply grateful to my family and everyone who has shown me kindness and compassion during this time,” she said in the statement.

At the time, Hannah also expressed that she wasn’t aware of the intense media coverage surrounding her disappearance.

“I was unaware of everything that was happening in the media while I was away, and I am still processing it all. 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,” Hannah shared.

If you or someone you know needs help, call 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. You can also call the network, previously known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741, or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources.

via: TooFab

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