The mother of a 22 year-old who vanished on a Canadian ski slope is hoping to use the Alpine Ski World Cup to find a new lead in her sonâs disappearance.
Kathleen Tomanâs son Liam disappeared on Mont-Tremblant, Quebec, on February 2, while staying at the tourist hotspot with two of his friends.
He was last seen leaving a bar in the local area on surveillance footage, which showed him heading towards his hotel at around 3 a.m.
According to a website dedicated to finding him, Liamâs wallet was found weeks later, on March 22, as the snow began to melt. However, his whereabouts remain a mystery.
His family has confirmed that he is not considered to be a runaway since his bank account and social media profiles have not been accessed since the night he vanished.
âNobody just vanishes,â his mother told CTV News. âWe truly believe somebody does know something.â
Toman handed out wristbands to skiers as the World Cup unfolded on Mont-Tremblant over the weekend, while also hiking the reward for information in the search for Liam. The reward has leapt from $10,000 CAD ($7,245 USD) to $50,000 CAD ($36,000 USD).
At the time of his disappearance, a five-day search involving 100 officers and specialized teams was launched.
The mammoth effort, which is detailed on the Toman website, covered a 500-meter radius surrounding Mont Tremblant and even involved diving teams, which combed nearby bodies of water for clues.
Every vehicle that passed through the area was stopped and given information about the missing 22-year-old, but no trace of him was found.
A poster given to Durham Regional Crime Stoppers describes Liam as 5â11â, 132 lbs, with light brown hair and âblueish gray eyes.â
He was last seen wearing a black and green coat, with black pants and a green sweater, according to the familyâs website.
On July 23, which would have been Liamâs twenty-third birthday, his family shared a heartfelt message to their missing loved one.
âIt has been over five months, Liam â months of aching, wondering, praying, remembering,â the family wrote. âYou are more than the silence, more than the missing.
âYou are every sunrise I whisper your name; every silly meme I continue to send you,â the message continues. âNot a day goes by we donât think of you, our hearts ache not knowing where you are, or what happened.â
Searches for Liam have continued in the months that followed his disappearance, with the family writing in an update that âthe likelihood of criminal involvement is now evident in Liamâs disappearance.â
In video footage tracking Liamâs last known movements, he is seen talking to a group of people on the way back to his hotel. The identity of anyone in the group remains a mystery.
Meanwhile, a local resident has launched a petition to improve safety measures in the Mont Tremblant residential village.
So far, the appeal has racked up 3,605 signatures and has called for lighting to be installed in the area along with a surveillance camera system.
