Las Vegas police say missing British Paralympic athlete has been found
UPDATE: The Metropolitan Police Department on Monday said that Samuel Ruddock has been “located safe.”
In a statement to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Ruddock’s friend, Lucy Hatton, said the athlete was “physically safe” and, with the help of Metro, would be brought home.
“Because of the amount of noise and attention that was brought to Sam being missing, we were able to find him, and from the bottom of my heart, we are so grateful,” Hatton said in part. “Thank you to everybody who has shared their concerns, shared their love. Because of this, Sam is safe.”
Original story continues below.
A British paracyclist who traveled to Las Vegas in hopes of attending WrestleMania 41 has been missing for nearly two weeks, his loved ones said Sunday.
Samuel Ruddock, 35, was supposed to check out of Bungalows Hostel at 1236 Las Vegas Boulevard South on April 15, but he never returned and left some of his belongings behind, his mother, Fran Ruddock, said in an email to the Review-Journal.
Ruddock’s disappearance has made international news, with BBC and The Athletic reporting on the situation.
Fran Ruddock and Lucy Hatton, a friend of the paracyclist’s, said Las Vegas police are currently investigating the disappearance. The Metropolitan Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment Sunday.
Bungalows Hostel said in an email Sunday that it is “not able to comment on guests due to privacy reasons.”
Accomplished athlete
Ruddock is a Paralympic athlete for the Great Britain cycling team’s parasquad. In 2023, he won gold in the men’s C1 5k time trial at the World Cycling Championships ahead of world record holder Li Zhangyu of China, the BBC reported.
His mother said he has cerebral palsy, and is “very unsteady on his feet and walks with a limp. He can be easily knocked over.”
Fran Ruddock also said her son made an Instagram live video on April 16 where he is seen riding through downtown Las Vegas in the passenger seat of a Austin Healey convertible with a man named “Steve.”
The video ends with “Steve” dropping Samuel Ruddock off at the Gold & Silver Pawn Shop, of the “Pawn Stars” TV show fame.
Hatton, a fitness trainer and former athlete for Great Britain who has been friends with Ruddock for the past 10 years, said in a voice memo via What’s App that April 16 was the last time anyone has heard from him.
She said she last saw Ruddock when he left for his flight out of London’s Heathrow Airport.
On April 20, Hatton reached out to the United States Embassy for help, she said. She started a campaign on social media to find out where Ruddock is, and is putting together a timeline of when he was last heard from with people sending her their last communication with Ruddock.
Possibly ran out of money
Ruddock may have run out of funds, since his friends have messaged his mother saying he had asked for money before his disappearance, Fran Ruddock said.
Fran Ruddock also said her son is a “very trusting soul” who is “incredibly kindhearted” and works as an athlete mentor to school children. He also coaches the Loughborough Students American Football Club at Loughborough University, where he trained for the Paralympics, she said.
“He is larger than life; he has a wonderful soul,” she said.
Fran Ruddock said her son is approximately 5 feet, 10 inches tall with dark brown eyes, black hair and a moustache.
“We are all absolutely frantic with worry,” she said.
Contact Taylor Lane at tlane@reviewjournal.com.
