The family of a former rugby star who vanished months ago fear he may he been abducted.
Bryn Hargreaves, who played as a prop forward for Super League side St Helens, went missing in January, sparking a major search by police in West Virginia in the USA. But after repeated attempts to track him down drew a blank, the family have set up an appeal to raise money to hire private investigators to probe his disappearance.
Speaking for the first time of his family's living hell, Bryn's brother Gareth said he fears the ex-Wigan and Bradford star may have been abducted. He said police were called to the 36-year-old's apartment building as there was water leaking into an apartment below, LancsLive reports.
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They found Bryn's apartment unlocked, but all of his belongings were there and his shower was still running. Gareth, 38, said: "It's almost like he was abducted from his shower.
"It's certainly a fear of mine. Obviously he was having mental health issues and in severe pain with his back from a car accident in December.
"I think the police thought he'd done something to himself and that certainly is a possibility that we also fear. But five months later, surely a body would have turned up.
"It's a bit strange if you wanted to disappear to leave your apartment unlocked with all your ID and some of your prized possessions. It's one of the reasons I can't leave this. If he's had a rubbish time and had enough so he's taken himself away, that's fair enough.
"But if something has happened and we didn't try to help or find him I could never forgive myself."
Bryn, who was best man at Gareth's wedding in 2018, last spoke to his brothers on January 3. Two weeks later he was reported missing after his boss at work contacted his family in the UK to ask if they'd heard from him.
Bryn's mum Maria and Bryn's youngest brother David, 34, travelled to the USA where they spent seven weeks searching for him. Gareth said police dredged a lake in the area and put up missing posters around the town, but eventually his heartbroken mum returned home with no answers.
So now they hope private investigators can help shed some light on the He added: "They turned over every stone as you can imagine, but it's just gone cold.
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"It's been dreadful, it's been the worst five months of my life. My mum is broken, she's having counselling, it's taken such a toll on her.
"My brother has just got married and it's a lot for him to take on. I've just had a baby, who is nine weeks old now so we've had to put it on the back burner for a little bit but now I'm trying to get life back together and chase this again.
"I want to find him, I want to bring him home. If that's not possible, I need closure. I just don't understand what's happened."
Bryn, former pupil of Balshaw’s Church of England High School, Leyland, retired from rugby league aged just 26 after becoming disillusioned with the game and moved to the US 10 years ago. He worked in the oil and gas industry and lived in Pittsburgh with his American wife who he'd met on holiday in Mexico.
When the couple split, he moved to West Virginia, but Gareth said Bryn was left feeling isolated during lockdown and had suggested he might move back to the UK. Gareth added: "Bryn had some mental health issues in the last two years.
"He got a job in the middle of nowhere then when Covid hit, he was completely isolated. He really struggled with his mental health.
"We tried to get him to come home so many times. He kept saying he was planning to come home in the new year, I spoke to him just before Christmas and that was the plan. The last people to speak to him on January 3 were me and my brother and he seemed fine."
A spokesman for the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office said Bryn was reported missing to them on January 16. Sniffer dogs were deployed to the Cheat Lake area of Morgantown, but to no avail.
He is described as 6'2, 220lbs and has a distinct tattoo of his family crest on his right arm, which they released a picture of. Visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/bryn-hargreaves-missing? to donate to the family's fund.
Bryn played professionally for Wigan Warriors, from 2001 to 2004, before joining St Helens RFC from November 2005 until 2009. In 2008, he was the starting prop during the Challenge Cup win against Hull FC at Wembley, and joined Bradford Bulls in 2009.
Retiring in 2012 from his career in rugby league, Mr Hargreaves subsequently emigrated to the USA. If anyone has any information about him, they are being asked to call the Sheriff's Department, or alternatively, contact the Monongalia County Sheriff’s Office’s Facebook page here.
