An attorney issued the statement on behalf of Kobayashi’s family: “We are incredibly relieved and grateful that Hannah has been found safe 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 We want to express our heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported us during this difficult time Your kindness and concern have meant the world to us.” said in a public Facebook post that she spoke with Hannah over the phone Pidgeon separated herself from the family’s search last week and said she was traveling to Mexico to look for Hannah my mother and I have not physically seen Hannah We do not have actual proof of where she is other than that she is somewhere in Mexico and she was allegedly found safe with Larie we are all extremely relieved and glad that my sister is alive and seemingly okay but we also have mixed and overwhelming feelings of exhaustion On Nov. 8, Kobayashi caught a flight from Maui to Los Angeles with plans to go to New York City to visit her aunt but she failed to get on the connecting flight Authorities later determined she intentionally missed the flight Over the course of the next several days, bizarre text messages and unusual financial transactions raised concerns among family members, triggering a massive search with sudden, tragic twists, including the death of her father The Los Angeles Police Department had classified her disappearance as a voluntary missing person case after obtaining surveillance video of Kobayashi crossing the U.S.-Mexico border on Nov There was also speculation that Kobayashi may have been involved in a marriage scam after several clues surfaced immigration documents and a strange text message that read “I got tricked pretty much into giving away all my funds for someone I thought I loved.” Get the best experience and stay connected to your community with our Spectrum News app. Learn More Editor’s note: This story contains discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org a 30-year-old from Maui whose family said she was found safe this week in Mexico after she was reported missing about a month ago saying her sister doesn’t want to return to Hawaii.  Sydni Kobayashi said she hasn’t seen her sister and doesn’t know her exact whereabouts who has been active in the search for Hannah.  “We have only spoken to her over the phone she does not wish to return to us,” Sydni said in the statement.  Sydni also said she no longer considers her aunt to be family and that she provided information “that turned out to be inaccurate or half-truths.” She and her mother asked Pidgeon to “tone down her posts and interviews,” as they felt she was creating a “media circus” that distracted from finding Hannah.    She described the past month as “absolute hell for us” and said the death of her father, Ryan Kobayashi, was “more than my soul and heart could bear.” He had flown from Hawaii to Los Angeles to participate in the search, but on Nov. 22 he was found dead near the Los Angeles airport and the family said he committed suicide.  Sydni wrote on a GoFundMe page which garnered more than $46,000 in donations that they were turning off donations and they would return funds to any donor who asked.  she said her mother had kept receipts for how the donations had been spent in the search for Hannah She also said some donations were earmarked for her father’s funeral expenses.  and betrayal,” Sydni said in her statement “We are kindly asking the public to respect our privacy and offer us grace for a moment as we are still grieving and so much that still needs to be navigated.” and we will all get the answers we truly deserve,” said Sydni.  Hannah took a flight from Maui to Los Angeles but missed her connecting flight to New York where she was supposed to meet up with relatives she sent strange text messages to family and friends causing them to be concerned for her safety and starting a search.  the Los Angeles Police Department said Kobayashi intentionally missed her flight and disappeared voluntarily as she sought to “step away from modern connectivity.” Authorities said they obtained surveillance footage that showed her on Nov unharmed and crossing the border into Mexico Amelia Schwartz is a Brooklyn-based writer and editor who has been covering food She is currently an editor at Food & Wine magazine focusing on trends and innovations in the hospitality industry I've been doing this for 19 years and I know very few competitive eaters who leave « Back It was not immediately clear where Kobayashi who had vanished last month in Los Angeles Hannah Kobayashi has been found safe, the Los Angeles police department (LAPD) said on Wednesday “We are happy to learn that Hannah has been found safe,” the LAPD said in a statement this has become a private matter and we will wrap up our investigation.” Kobayashi’s disappearance had caused panic among those close to her and sparked a frantic and sizable investigation from US law enforcement The mystery surrounding her whereabouts captured global headlines a week after her father Ryan apparently took his own life at an LAX parking lot The FBI has now been pulled into the Hannah Kobayashi missing persons case after her mother discovered that she may have engaged in a secret marriage for money and turned documents over to investigators as her family desperately continues its search for her.  New information about Kobayashi's ties to a a possible immigration scam comes after after LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell announced his investigators tracked Kobayashi to Mexico and have her on video walking into that country alone with her luggage on Nov Sources tell Los Angeles that Kobayashi was apparently scammed out of the proceeds of the purported immigration scheme possibly concocted by her former partner 8 and landed at LAX with plans to catch a connecting flight to New York City was reportedly on the flight with Kobayashi’s ex who discovered immigration documents in her daughter's home in Hawaii that listed an immigration attorney "That attorney was not cooperative with the mom," one source close to the investigation said Her family then "turned over the alleged information to law enforcement immediately upon receipt," they said in a statement released by their Los Angeles attorney Sara Azari On Tuesday, LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell announced that Kobayashi was classified as “a voluntary missing person,” after investigators uncovered a video of her walking into Mexico alone with her luggage from a San Diego border crossing twelve days before her father apparently leapt to his death from a parking structure near the airport.  Kobayashi wanted to “step away from modern connectivity" and the LAPD did not believe she was a victim of foul play But Kobayashi's family continues to demand answers from his department. Following McDonnell’s press conference late Tuesday afternoon the family requested to see video evidence of Kobayashi crossing into Mexico as they were previously unaware that the LAPD had tracked her to the border on November 12.  The LAPD issued a missing persons poster for Hannah on Nov LAPD issued a poster for Hannah Kobayashi on Nov An FBI spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment nor did the LAPD's Missing Persons Unit commander.  Thelma Golden will celebrate Lauren Halsey and U.K.-based singer Griff will take the stage featured A-list designers and Otis College standouts who earned scholarships for innovation in Fashion Design lawyers say Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe showed injuries consistent with a dog attack and plan to present a case against Chloe a German Shepherd who was re-homed by the owner's of the house where the cop's body was found in a snowbank Magazine’s takeaways on five notable topics from President Donald Trump’s first 100 days of his second term consumers are stocking up on household items and bites from THEBlvd and Hinoki & the Bird explainedWhat really mattersIn a world with too much noise and too little context We don’t flood you with panic-inducing headlines or race to be first We focus on being useful to you — breaking down the news in ways that inform We rely on readers like you to fund our journalism Will you support our work and become a Vox Member today The Hawaii resident’s disappearance became a viral internet mystery by Aja Romano Editor’s note, December 11, 3:15 pm ET: On December 11, Hannah Kobayashi’s family told TMZ they had been in contact with Hannah that day and confirmed that she is safe The twists and turns in the ongoing story of Hannah Kobayashi who went missing in Los Angeles last month after failing to get on her connecting flight to New York have kept the public riveted for nearly a month amid a family tragedy that includes the death of Kobayashi’s father by apparent suicide police have determined Kobayashi might have walked away from her life voluntarily Police say she used her passport to make the purchase then crossed over into Mexico from San Ysidro Los Angeles investigators felt that Kobayashi had likewise walked away from her own life and that “To date, the investigation has not uncovered any evidence that Kobayashi is being trafficked or is the victim of foul play. She is also not a suspect in any criminal activity,” Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell stated during a news conference and we respect her choices but we also understand the concern her loved ones feel for her.” There are several alarming differences between the two cases, beginning with the sharp and sudden turn in Kobayashi’s trajectory. The 30-year-old Maui resident was a free spirit with a love of art and the outdoors before she boarded a flight to visit a relative on November 8 It was supposed to be her first trip to the New York City — something she’d had on her “bucket list” of places to see — and she had plans to see a Broadway show with a friend before traveling upstate she sent a series of alarming texts to family and friends One text spoke of “Deep Hackers” who “wiped my identity & have had me on a mind fuck since Friday,” while another claimed she’d been “tricked pretty much into giving away all my funds “Even though she was in contact with us, she wasn’t in contact with us in her right mind,” her aunt, Larie Pidgeon, told USA Today she was spotted getting off the Metro near Crypto.com Arena (formerly Staples Center) Her family claimed in the post that they’d seen footage of the sighting which indicated that Hannah “does not appear to be in good condition” and she is not alone After November 11, her phone was turned off, and by the following week, Kobayashi had fallen off the grid — she’d stopped sending text updates, and family and friends fanned out across the city to search for her. We now know that she had already crossed the border into Mexico, but her family claimed they had only radio silence from LAPD about what After the family held a public rally on November 21 though it would still be another week before any answers arrived In the middle of the family’s fear that she’d been abducted or trafficked and amid enormous and growing public speculation about what happened to her her father Ryan Kobayashi was searching for her On November 15, he told KHNL Hawaii News Now that he’d experienced a “lot of worrying because I haven’t slept well since I’ve heard the news.” He went on to ask Hannah to get in touch with the police or with her family “There’s a lot of people out there that care and love you whatever you can do … just let us know that you’re okay.” Ryan Kobayashi died by suicide in Los Angeles “I’m going to continue to stay strong for you,” Hannah Kobayashi’s sister Sydni wrote on social media Despite indications that Kobayashi may have been suffering from a mental break or another form of mental illness, Pidgeon pushed back on this possibility. “She has no record on that,” she told NBC on November 15 Hannah’s someone that we can call and she’s going to call us back within an hour.” It’s impossible to know whether the tragedy of her father’s suicide could have been avoided if her disappearance hadn’t become headline-grabbing news Still, while it’s tempting to blame Ryan Kobayashi’s death on the media and public frenzy, the real stressors might have been much closer to home. He had told CNN that he and Hannah had not been close when she was growing up and that they “hadn’t had contact for a while.” The grim but less complicated takeaway from this series of tragic events might be just this: The mighty apparatus of true crime theorizing and crowdsourced web sleuthing can often make family tragedies into labyrinthine mysteries when they aren’t the answers may be undramatic and unsatisfying — but perhaps the simpler they are Understand the world with a daily explainer plus the most compelling stories of the day Here’s why your potentially romantic meetup actually sucks. A new prosecutor, a surprising defense team addition, and a whole lot of controversy. Candace Owens and Joe Rogan are the latest frontier of the Me Too backlash. Advice author Lysa TerKeurst has a devoted audience, a dozen bestselling books — and she’s divorced. Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInHONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The attorney for Hannah Kobayashi confirmed the Maui woman is back in the United States The 30-year-old’s disappearance in early November led to a nationwide search and made international headlines but investigators later determined Kobayashi willingly left the country Hannah Kobayashi crossed the border back to the United States I accompanied Hannah as her attorney across the border and can verify she is safe Hannah is deeply grateful to her family and all those who have supported her with kindness and compassion Hannah would appreciate respect for herself and her loved ones during this challenging time.” Kari told Hawaii News Now that he has been an attorney for 39 years and practices business law for a tech company in California The 69-year-old said he is also a freelance journalist who has covered immigration at U.S.-Mexico border and Kobayashi reached out to him for representation Customs and Border Protection confirmed that Kobayashi re-entered into the U.S from Mexico Sunday and appeared in good health The Los Angeles Police Department now considers Kobayashi’s missing persons case closed Things you buy through our links may earn Vox Media a commission a member of the LAPD missing-persons unit confirmed to People that Hannah Kobayashi had crossed back into the States and that her case is now closed The officer also told the outlet that Kobayashi seemed to be in good health and “did not appear to be under any duress,” adding that she spoke to Customs and Border Protection and “presented herself for entry into the U.S.” In Kobayashi’s statement to People which was provided to the outlet by her aunt the photographer confirmed she had crossed the border back to the U.S and my creativity.” She added that she was “deeply grateful” to her family “and everyone who has shown me kindness and compassion” at this time “I am still processing it all,” Kobayashi said and my loved ones as I navigate through this challenging time.” By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice and to receive email correspondence from us Password must be at least 8 characters and contain: you’ll receive occasional updates and offers from New York A flyer with information on Hannah Kobayashi LOS ANGELES (AP) — Volunteers have joined a search in Los Angeles for Hannah Kobayashi a 30-year-old woman from Hawaii who went missing more than two weeks ago after not making a connecting flight to New York was found dead Sunday in a parking lot near LA International Airport by apparent suicide Here are the latest developments in the case: During a stop at Los Angeles International Airport she missed her connecting flight and told her family she would sleep in the airport that night Family members assumed she was on standby for another flight Hannah texted them to say she was sightseeing in Los Angeles planning to visit The Grove shopping mall and downtown LA just alarming” text messages from her phone that referenced her being “intercepted” as she got on a Metro train and being scared that someone might be stealing her identity she went dark,” Pidgeon told The Associated Press on Saturday her phone “just went dead,” according to Pidgeon Pidgeon wouldn’t elaborate further about the texts or describe surveillance footage of Hannah that she said police are reviewing The Los Angeles Police Department said it’s investigating but officials haven’t released many details The family came from Hawaii and held a news conference last week after which “it seems that the LAPD is finally taking the case seriously,” Pidgeon said Detectives told the family they are retracing Hannah’s steps and requesting additional surveillance footage Police officials didn’t immediately respond Monday to emails and voicemails seeking further details Family members and friends are searching for Hannah in Los Angeles and over the weekend they were joined by local volunteers Pidgeon said the effort has been focused in the downtown area Searchers have also fanned out around the airport and The Grove “It’s completely out of character for her” to not be in touch with loved ones was among those who flew in from Hawaii to help in the search He was found dead early Sunday in a parking lot near LA International Airport Police said officers responded to reports of a body about 4 a.m Kobayashi’s family confirmed Ryan’s death in a Sunday statement saying they “endured a devastating tragedy” and that he died by suicide “After tirelessly searching throughout Los Angeles for 13 days tragically took his own life,” according to the statement “This loss has compounded the family’s suffering immeasurably.” The family asked for privacy as it grieves Ryan’s death and urged the public to “maintain focus on the search for her Hannah IS still actively missing and is believed to be in imminent danger It is crucial for everyone to remain vigilant in their efforts to locate Hannah.” By Star-Advertiser Staff Editors' Picks the 30-year-old Hawaii woman who had been missing since Nov a Los Angeles-­based criminal defense attorney representing the Kobayashi family posted a statement from the family on social media this morning “We are incredibly relieved and grateful that Hannah has been found safe and we kindly ask for privacy as we take the time to heal and process everything we have been through.” The statement gave no details on where Kobayashi was found “We want to express our heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported us during this difficult time Your kindness and concern have meant the world to us,” said the statement on behalf of her mother and sister has garnered international media attention and intense online speculation since she went missing after failing to board a connecting flight at Los Angeles International Airport last month Her 58-year-old father, Ryan Koba­yashi, killed himself Nov. 24 after searching for his daughter in Los Angeles for two weeks A GoFundMe was set up to pay for search efforts and other family expenses as they searched for the missing woman The official search by authorities ended last week when LAPD announced that they had discovered that Hannah Kobayshi had entered Mexico on her own will and appeared in safe with her luggage in surveillance video as she entered the San Ysidro border crossing LOS ANGELES − Hannah Kobayashi, the Maui woman who went missing in Los Angeles in November says she is "still processing it all" after she returned to the United States on Sunday she said in a statement provided to USA TODAY Kobayashi said in the statement that she was "unaware of everything that was happening in the media" during her disappearance my family and my loved ones as I navigate through this challenging time," the statement said Douglas Oldfield told USA TODAY in an email Monday that the department closed the missing persons case for Kobayashi after it received notification that she crossed the border back into the U.S Drone sightings: A timeline of the reports, arrests and calls for answers UnitedHealthcare CEO shooting: Backpack company executive denies providing customer info on shooter Kobayashi provided the following written statement to USA TODAY: I crossed the border back into the United States I am deeply grateful to my family and everyone who has shown me kindness and compassion during this time I was unaware of everything that was happening in the media while I was away and I am still processing it all my family and my loved ones as I navigate through this challenging time USA TODAY has reached out to Kobayashi and Pidgeon for more information on the woman's disappearance and why she was in Mexico Marni Rose McFall is a Newsweek reporter based in London Marni joined Newsweek in 2024 from Frasers Group and had previously written for Cosmopolitan She is a graduate of The University of Edinburgh You can get in touch with Marni by emailing m.mcfall@newsweek.com either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content the Hawaii woman whose disappearance sparked a frantic search has issued a statement after she was found safe Kobayashi has said that she is focused on her peace and healing and has expressed gratitude to her family but major questions remain about her disappearance Newsweek has reached out to Hannah Kobayashi's attorney outside of normal working hours for comment flew from Maui to Los Angeles on November 8 She then missed a connecting flight to New York City her family reportedly received "alarming" text messages from her traveled from Hawaii to Los Angeles to assist in the search for his missing daughter He was found dead on November 24, two weeks after Hannah's disappearance, and the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner ruled his death as a suicide caused by multiple blunt-force injuries Kobayashi was declared a voluntary missing person after police reviewed footage of her in Mexico In a statement shared with NBC Hannah said: "My focus now is on my healing I am deeply grateful to my family and everyone who has shown me kindness and compassion during this time." She continued: "I was unaware of everything that was happening in the media while I was away and my loved ones as I navigate through this challenging time A statement shared with Newsweek by the family's attorney "We have no information on why she disappeared Hannah has not shared any of this with her immediate family." Though it has now been confirmed that Hannah Kobayashi is safe and reportedly back in the U.S. Kobayashi's family previously said in a statement that they were "incredibly relieved and grateful that Hannah has been found safe." The statement continued: "This past month has been an unimaginable ordeal for our family "We want to express our heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported us during this difficult time Your kindness and concern have meant the world to us." It is unclear at this time if Hannah Kobayashi will go on to address the ongoing questions surrounding her disappearance A GoFundMe was set up in an effort to find Hannah and to help cover her father's funeral costs there have been accusations that the GoFundMe was a scam The Kobayashi family has said they will "honour" refund requests from anyone who contributed toward the search for the formerly missing woman Following news that Hannah Kobayashi had been found safe sentiment on social media has turned negative toward the young woman Many are accusing Kobayashi of being a scammer and others say charges should be brought against her whether from Hannah herself or the wider Kobayashi family it is clear that the family wants to take some time and privacy to process the events that have passed since Hannah first went missing ET: This article was updated with comment from Sara Azari Do you have a story Newsweek should be covering Do you have any questions about this story Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground Newsletters in your inbox See all Kobayashi Ryoyu wants a large gold to go pleaseThe Olympic men's normal hill ski jumping champion says he wants to add the large hill title to his collection at next year's Winter Games “Of course I want an Olympic gold medal, especially in the large hill. I’ve got to have that if I want to be considered a true ski jumper. Kobayashi came home following a season in which he struggled to stay fit early on but finished with a bronze medal at the Nordic Ski World Championships The reigning Olympic normal champion also produced three World Cup victories Kobayashi’s emphasis was on how he ended the campaign And he does not think the world bronze he won after the Norwegians were disqualified for suit manipulation fell into his lap “I didn’t take part in anything like pre-season training camp did what I want which I think was good for me,” the 28-year-old said All in all I thought I had a really good season “There were a few issues and I got bumped up to bronze but it was not easy for me to be at my best under the circumstances I was able to put myself in contention for a medal which Kobayashi has not planned his off-season yet although camp in the People’s Republic of China during the early summer is a possibility I thought I took a step forward this season in its own way I have the results to back it up which gave me confidence,” Kobayashi said “And I hope to build on it for the Olympic season.” Japanese ski jumper Ryoyu Kobayashi bounced back from his normal hill seventh-place finish to claim third in the individual large hill event at the Nordic skiing world championships on Saturday who earned normal hill gold and large hill silver at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics had jumps of 135.5 and 137.0 meters for a total of 284.7 points in Trondheim but I'm very satisfied with my performance," Kobayashi said As for next year's Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics "I'll try to be in a position to contend for a medal." Slovenia's Domen Prevc won with 301.8 points Host nation favorite Jarl Magnus Riiber won the men's Nordic combined individual large hill event on the same day Riiber picked up his third gold of the championships and a record-extending sixth career world individual gold for a Nordic combined skier Snowboarding: Miki wins parallel giant slalom finale, completes sweep Nordic combined: Yuna Kasai seizes monumental gold at worlds Figure skating: Icon Yuzuru Hanyu commemorates March 11 quake in ice show To have the latest news and stories delivered to your inbox, subscribe here. Simply enter your email address below and an email will be sent through which to complete your subscription. Please check your inbox for a confirmation email. If you wish to change your message, press 'Cancel' to go back and edit. Thank you for reaching out to us.We will get back to you as soon as possible. 10:30 am UTC • 43 minToday is not the Fourth of July That is both a fact and a feeling during Netflix’s live broadcast of Chestnut Vs or should I say bun—I’m so sorry.) The date shouldn’t be terribly noteworthy given that 364 days of all non–leap years are also not the Fourth of July … but when you’re watching Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi slurp down dozens of hot dogs into body cavities unknown the date and its proximity to patriotism matter Patriotism always matters when it comes to hot dogs and their competitive consumption the best competitive eaters have convened annually to eat one brand of hot dog and I am not standing under those neon lights Netflix has chosen perhaps the second most American holiday in an effort to prove that its hot-dog-eating contest will be just as patriotic as any Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest has ever been working on a holiday that celebrates working or the organization of the American labor movement for this I can only blame my insatiable hunger for drama And there is simply so much beef stuffed inside the meat grinder of competitive eating The hawking of heroes and turning of heels; something called “jawthritis” and accusations of water-based cheating; American dreams of becoming a fiction writer dashed and legacies built up from the ashes; contract disputes; more contract disputes; ever more contract disputes; and also it’s sometimes hard to see the humanity of others,” Nicole Lucas Haimes the Hungry and executive producer of Unfinished Beef says of these contentious pivot points in competitive eating “We see that in all kinds of endeavors beyond hot dogs where the people who are involved in single-minded pursuits lose sight of the big picture.” Or maybe the big picture of competitive eating just looks different for each of its biggest players you cannot talk about this Netflix Labor Day face-off 15 years in the making without first understanding the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July contest: the men who’ve made it an institution and left it behind in equal measure; its aforementioned belt and that belt’s unexpectedly nationalistic origins; its series of unholy alliances born of marketing tactics and sustained by sheer athleticism and an insatiable hunger to win all meshing together to create a shockingly riveting sport All of this is the reason I’m deboarding a plane into the triple-digit Las Vegas heat to watch the definitive controversial hot-dog-eating contest in a lifetime that has apparently been full of them deeply American question: Where’s the beef Joey Chestnut signed a deal with Impossible Foods and now I’m wearing a pair of hot dog glasses and a hot dog bucket hat—both technically vegan—and sitting on the edge of my seat about to watch two men in their 40s gain 20 pounds in 10 minutes The Coney Island boardwalk and ESPN have been swapped out for the HyperX Arena Las Vegas and Netflix Inside there are several hundred screaming fans and one of the more eclectic press boxes I’ve ever been a part of Everyone from Food & Wine to BroBible and Barstool Sports to The New York Times is waiting to see what the first face-off between Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi in 15 years will mean for the sport of competitive eating and the ever-developing culture of being a hater When I speak with Chestnut ahead of the event with his signature grin quirked up to an 11 on the right side of his face (soon to be full of hot dog) One of the many thrilling elements about the dramatic announcement that Chestnut would be moving on to Netflix after being unceremoniously banned from the Nathan’s contest this year—a competition he’s won 16 times—was that his last worthy hot dog rival would also be coming out of retirement to battle him Over a decade after parting ways with Major League Eating himself Kobayashi announced in the 2024 Netflix documentary Hack Your Health: The Secrets of Your Gut that he was retiring from competitive eating altogether—a career that’s earned him in the high six figures annually he cited his inability to feel hunger or fullness any longer You can’t believe that,” Chestnut laughs at my naivete Clearly I’ve never experienced the Machiavellian highs and lows of a hot dog rivalry And somebody had told me he still wanted to do another contest The ramblings of a paranoid athlete obsessed with the competitor trying to unseat him Or a man with a Michael Jordan–level preoccupation with competition who’s used his inherent nature to propel the niche sport of competitive eating into the national zeitgeist has mostly been stuck with only himself as a worthy competitor While Chestnut is giving me every bit of behind-the-scenes sports drama I’ve become accustomed to receiving from Netflix’s narrative take on sports I realize I do not feel entirely physically or emotionally prepared to watch these glizzies get guzzled The tacit grossness in learning how the competitive-eating sausage gets made has been one thing But facing head-on the reality of two men stuffing six-plus hot dogs per minute down their gullets for 10 consecutive minutes And I’m absolutely forced to look that reality in the overstuffed face when during the pregame entertainment outside of HyperX Arena Matt Stonie eats 53 chicken wings in three minutes smoking the three Olympians he’s battling (welcome back to mess It’s long been suggested that competitive eating could technically qualify as an Olympic sport are prepared to compete at an Olympic level next to the Luxor Hotel & Casino pool as hosts Rob Riggle and Nikki Garcia look on from a safe distance here as yet another Major League Eating contract-dispute refugee and he’s also the only Nathan’s competitor to have ever broken Chestnut’s winning spree the year that Chestnut’s fiancée broke up with him a fact that the Nathan’s announcer would publicize at the hot-dog-eating contest one year later—but we’re here to count wieners not traumas!) Stonie now makes competitive eating content for his 16.9 million YouTube subscribers and it is my greatest hope that he gathered Joey and Kobi into his greenroom at some point to talk monetization The $100,000 cash prize on the table today is a mint to be sure and $90,000 more than Nathan’s awards annually but it doesn’t have nearly the same replenishment rate as 16.4 million YouTube subscribers ready and willing to watch a relatively small man who has a jaw that looks like he swallowed a ruler eat 24 Popeye’s biscuits simply because he can all I can think while watching Stonie strip and eat 53 chicken wings with a surgeon’s precision and a bear’s determination to double its body weight before hibernation is: “That was only three minutes And it was the most insane physical feat I’ve ever seen in my life There is a common refrain among people just tuning in to competitive eating that goes something like: “I think I could do that.” And if you are one of the people thinking that right now I want to hold your hand when I tell you this: No the fuck you could not While there is absolutely nothing more American than simply looking at something and feeling sure that you deserve to excel in it let me break this down a little: Competitive hot dog eating is a sport where you have to do the single hardest part of it for 10 minutes straight as well as an attempt to constantly convince your mind and body that they should work together to do something they both know they should not be doing An eater like Kobayashi or Chestnut can average about one hot dog every eight seconds Which almost seems like enough seconds to quickly stuff one hot dog into your mouth by sheer force of will—but now factor in biting and swallowing That’s basically a bite and a swallow every two seconds as a woman named Leah Shutkever eats five-plus pounds of watermelon in 153 seconds like she’s Ms a chyron flashes across the screen: “Leah has the ability to bite and swallow at the same time.” The crowd giggles at this reveal you don’t even know you don’t have an ability until someone else shows you that they do—then they show it to you for 10 minutes straight referring to hot dogs as a singular unit in a way I didn’t actually know was possible Europeans have been consuming sausages for centuries but hot dog legend states that it’s the placing of that sausage inside a bun that’s a solely American invention The earliest known establishment to sell a be-bunned sausage was Feltman’s a giant restaurant on the Coney Island boardwalk that would eventually become recognized as the largest restaurant in the world they hired a young Polish Jewish immigrant named Nathan to slice buns for their “Coney Island red hots,” as the hot dogs were known then Nathan took their idea just a few yards down the boardwalk and began selling the Coneys that would make him and a bunch of other people with superhuman stomachs a titular level of Famous This much we basically know to be true about the not-so-humble origins of Nathan’s Famous and how it became so inextricably tied to screaming have a slightly looser relationship to reality if you’re at all particular about your reality being “true” over author of Raw Dog: The Naked Truth About Hot Dogs and star of the 2022 one-woman show Mrs America USA tells me that “the most American thing about the hot dog is that it’s the success of a pretty made-up marketing narrative.” We are standing next to a posterboard with a cartoon hot dog drawn on it and pitching gorgeous nonsense “But all of these stories embody this very American narrative of ‘One day this normal American guy had this amazing idea and it changed the world.’” She compares it to the American dream mythology that everything needs to be Bill Gates building a computer in his garage—an uncommon genius pulling himself up by his bootstraps with no breaks and no systemic issues that could ever get in his way the collective mythology of the hot dog—that immigrants brought over their national food traditions they adapted them to the grab-and-go culture of their new home picking up local idiosyncrasies and delicious subcultural flair (except for you you went too far) and nourishing poor people during times of economic crisis—is an equally American story “But that’s not a sexy story,” Loftus says So that’s not the story people are interested in.” And if there’s one thing Nathan’s has sustained through a century of grinding out glizzies it’s a narrative that people are interested in that tradition of prioritizing a good story that yields a great paycheck over what might technically be classified as the truth would grow and morph in ways Nathan Handwerker could surely never have imagined when I think about another maybe-true story I heard about Nathan—that he hired local hospital workers to wear surgeon smocks and stethoscopes and eat at his counter next to a sign that said it has to be good …”—I realize that he may have been able to predict exactly what and who would rise up from that hot dog counter this whole thing kind of starts with a guy named Mortimer “Morty” Matz Matz created the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest as a marketing stunt in the 1970s when he took over the Nathan’s account at his PR firm he also said that the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest was created in 1916 when a handful of immigrants decided to speed-eat hot dogs to determine who was most patriotic He later said that the only years the Nathan’s contest wasn’t held were 1941 and 1971 when they were canceled as protests against World War II and the Vietnam War But Matz fessed up in a 2010 New York Times profile that the hot-dog-eating contest wasn’t ever a protest against anything except maybe against not getting enough attention (Another of Matz’s famous clients is the Durst Organization … which actually might explain a lot.) Matz simply created the hot-dog-eating contest as a way to promote Nathan’s hot dogs on the holiday that hot dogs had become most associated with—iconic marketing stunt behavior that would ultimately be passed down through enough generations to cause serious harm to a young Japanese competitive eater’s emotional well-being Matz had to pass the marketing stunt baton to George Shea and his brother Rich It became their job to make hot dogs—technically tubes of mismatched meat intrinsically tied to poor labor practices—as appealing to the public as possible So George came to call on what was naturally at his disposal: the pro-American rhetoric that’s also intrinsically tied to hot dogs along with his ability to spin any nugget of a story into a fool’s gold spectacle “I started working with Morty Matz in 1988 and Jay Green ate 13 hot dogs and buns to win,” George tells me as we chat about the origins of competitive eating “There were no competitors; there was no such thing as competitive eating,” he says We never even bought that URL because we were the only ones who called it competitive eating.”  When George officially took over the Nathan’s Famous account—and the Nathan’s Famous competition—in 1991 there were a few dozen people gathering on Coney Island to watch the contest each year and two TV cameras recorded the briskly paced hot dog eating the Shea brothers had organized competitive eating into a sports league an international wunderkind named Takeru Kobayashi had nearly doubled the American hot-dog-eating record in his Nathan’s contest debut Kobayashi completely dominated the sport until 2007 when an estimated 50,000 people gathered to watch him struggle through a “reversal of fortune” (use your imagination) as the sport’s next wunderkind—and Nathan’s preferred champion—Joey Chestnut outate him by three dogs before Netflix had even aired its first original series let alone considered broadcasting a hot-dog-eating competition live on its streaming platform George Shea introduced Chestnut at the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest thusly: We kneel at the side of the road to be covered in the dust from the hooves of our enemy’s horses and we chew on gravel and we smile the smile of broken teeth and supplication Because the rock on which he stands IS NOT A ROCK and he will call his name into the new day to put his claim 1–ranked eater in the world … he has God’s username and password The Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating champion 2.7 million people tuned in to ESPN to watch Chestnut eat 61 hot dogs in 10 minutes; then he set the reigning Nathan’s Hot Dog record with 76 hot dogs and buns eaten Kobayashi and Chestnut were both completely absent from the Nathan’s Fourth of July contest due to respective contract disputes fleeing to the loving—if perhaps brief—embrace of television’s largest streaming platform and leaving behind one major-league-sized question: How did competitive eating go from marketing stunt to a legitimate organized sport to a ship sinking under the weight of its own consumption visitors to the Luxor are in for a truly novel picture: a line of people snaking around the slot machines and past the Titanic artifact exhibit who are predominantly dressed as some variation of a hot dog there are many kinds of hot dog suits: with and without ketchup; over the head or just to the shoulders; with Hamburger Helper gloves vs without; always with mustard; always a huge hit The line’s many hot dogs pose for pictures with strangers that will soon be blasted out to group chats while they wait to get inside Unfinished Beef is technically a ticketed event so the crowd ranges from competitive-eating enthusiasts (including actual eaters like Eric “Badlands” Booker and Patrick Bertoletti who reigned supreme at this year’s Chestnut-less Fourth of July Nathan’s competition with 58 dogs) to Vegas locals curious about the spectacle But whether they’re a longtime fan or future fan, ketchup wearer or not, the phrase on everybody’s lips is: no dunking. Two decades after Kobayashi brought his patented wiener-snapping, bun-dunking methods to the United States completely changing the way that people competitively ate hot dogs Kobayashi insisted that wieners had to stay in buns and be consumed as a whole hot dog—with no dunking there would be “nowhere to hide,” as Kobayashi said at the Unfinished Beef press conference But as visions of Nathan’s contests past dance in their heads these Netflix-assembled fans are wondering whether no dunking will simply mean fewer dogs eaten Predictions range from the low 50s to the high 60s but no one in the crowd is predicting a broken record without the slippery effects of wet When I caught up with Chestnut and Kobayashi in their respective greenrooms the day before the competition, Kobayashi was sporting—if you’ll excuse the generational vernacular—a fuck ass bob he has revealed a dramatic buzz cut—a piece of gameplay I can’t entirely comprehend but I am not a hot dog athlete—coupled with a silken boxer’s robe that he throws off dramatically to reveal a sleeveless muscle tee as he approaches the hot dog altar he’s upgraded to an athletic jersey of sorts Both of them embody their archetypes within the sport they’ve built up And they both made it here by some combination of precise training and the innate motivation to hoover down 18,000-plus calories in 10 minutes Chestnut feels like he was nurtured into being a superior eater because he learned to eat quickly among his hungry and competitive siblings but he’s certain that there are some natural elements that help the best eaters a big head helps you a lot … natural eaters just have a crazy big head and esophagus.” Joey has consumed around 335,000 calories in hot dogs—about the same number of calories the average person eats in six months “I love getting ready to put an obscene amount of food inside of me,” Joey tells me without an ounce of irony The first recorded history of competitive eating goes all the way back to the 17th century when a farmer named Nicholas Wood began to do things like eat seven dozen rabbits in one sitting as recounted in Jan Bondeson’s book The Two-Headed Boy the Most Exorbitant Paunchmonger—was competing against food itself He was simply trying not to go into a literal food coma or lose all but one of his teeth from eating an entire mutton shoulder (failed on both accounts the quantity of food couldn’t compare to Wood’s competitive eating when Frankie “Large” Dellarossa won the Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest he beat 19 other contestants by eating 21 hot dogs and took home a 3-foot plastic trophy we were not making any money.” George began calling every publication and radio station that would answer and telling them about the athletes competing in the Nathan’s Fourth of July contest to get a rise out of them They couldn’t believe anyone was calling competitive hot dog eating a sport In the 30 for 30 documentary about the lost rivalry between Kobayashi and Chestnut and the greatest example of creating such a backstory was when he bejeweled a weight-lifting belt to create a WWE-style “Mustard Belt” on the floor of his apartment in 1996 George proclaimed that the belt was “created by the descendants of Fabergé,” that it had been lost to Japan years ago and that the United States needed to get it back “Everything was a self-fulfilling prophecy,” George says in the documentary “If we said there was a championship belt that was lost in Japan If we said we had a rivalry with the Japanese With the Shea brothers circulating the news that this was a real sport with real events they did actually have to fulfill their own prophecy at certain points but we did not necessarily control that sport so we quickly got organized and got all our eaters together in a league.” In 1997 they created the International Federation of Competitive Eating which became the parent company of Major League Eating and organizes most competitive-eating events and TV deals in the United States the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest on ESPN but there was no plan other than to make my brother Richard laugh or the journalists laugh or the crowd laugh,” George says of accidentally sanctioning an entire sport that’s spanned three decades—in the process of advertising a hot dog brand And the reason we did everything was because we thought it was interesting and funny.”  And he’s right; it was interesting and funny. It still is, even if you can see the conflict of interest train coming from a mile away. George shows me a glass jar on his desk: “I have Jim Mullen’s teeth, the original teeth of Jim Mullen right here preserved in a seltzer.” Mullen was the winner of that great, definitely made up 1916 immigrant hot-dog-eating contest that Matz told The New York Times about in 2010 Preserved in seltzer—and on this Zoom recording—forever If a stunt falls in the woods and no one cares, is it just a harmless piece of narrative lore? If a butt fills the seat, a competitor wins the belt, and Nathan’s Famous gets its name splashed across the front page of the L.A. Times is the PR machine working for all parties involved Over the course of the 30 for 30 documentary Haimes slowly reveals George to be a slightly unreliable narrator “A lot of what I say is not literally true in terms of words but it is emotionally true.” He says this while standing in front of a framed newspaper article that reads She’s trying to hatch an egg.” It’s presumably one of his earlier PR stunts though I don’t know which egg brand he worked for Despite George’s discontentment with how he was portrayed in that documentary Haimes told me that she does think of him as a kind of genius “He recognized the glee and the interest audiences have in this endeavor I think what he and his brother Rich Shea did was extraordinary from the time they began in the late ’90s to now creating an institution where when somebody has hot dogs on the Fourth of July you think about Joey Chestnut and you think about the hot dog contest.” If you’ve watched a Nathan’s Fourth of July contest even once, you also think about George. Outfitted somewhere between a carnival barker and a tent revival preacher, waving his arms from a Nathan’s-branded pulpit, affecting some version of a transatlantic accent, exalting the start of the contest with “They say that competitive eating is the battleground upon which God and Lucifer wage war for men’s souls Loftus attended her first Nathan’s Coney Island contest in 2021 and was blown away by the energy his wife has worked for soap operas and the WWE.” She is recalling correctly and while George swears he’s never watched much wrestling he does agree with the comparison insofar as he sees both sports as necessitating a certain level of storytelling to capture the audience “What we did with the intros was independent of [WWE] but it is a natural consequence of the human need for narrative,” he says and it’s usually very simple: the black hat and the white hat It actually demonstrates who we are and our limitations … it’s just good versus bad.” Chestnut’s fiancée had broken up with him one week before the competition: “And then on the Fourth of July and his thoughts had no shape and no meaning and the words fell from his mouth without sound standing like a boy without friends on the schoolyard.” Joey was on board with these public divulgences it’s hard to know exactly who’s signed up for what and when they signed up for it What started as a publicity stunt turned into a popular cultural absurdity which turned into a bona fide sport with real competition and athletes whose feelings ‘What cultural niche has not been exploited?’” George says of the unexpected fame and escalation around competitive eating “And then what happened when Kobayashi and Joey came is that it really morphed from a cultural absurdity … into a sport.” When he was 22 years old, Takeru Kobayashi ate 16 bowls of ramen in one hour to win the Japanese variety show TV Champion. In 2000, he ate 8.9 kilograms over the course of competing in Food Battle Club The young Kobayashi wept after the win because he realized that becoming the best eater in Japan meant surpassing his mentor I thought it was a joke,” Kobayashi says in the 30 for 30 documentary but I learned they were actually very serious this is a sport I wanted to do until the day that I die.” George Shea was prepared to market Nathan’s hot dogs until the day that he died But MLE had yet to obtain a champion worth rooting for in its quest to get competitive eating to take off Major League Eating invited Kobayashi and a handful of other Japanese eaters to participate in the Fourth of July contest he didn’t speak English or know much about American culture and the local press showed little interest in him ahead of the race … and then he broke the American record of 25 hot dogs with nearly nine minutes still remaining on the clock Kobayashi ate so many hot dogs that they ran out of official laminated numbers to flip and scrambled to write new ones with a marker eating 50 hot dogs and changing the course of competitive eating forever “Before Kobayashi became so prominent in the Nathan’s contests really hungry guys kind of thing,” Loftus says “Kobayashi revolutionized the sport in the U.S.” The Shea brothers may have made competitive eating an event in the United States He invented most of the techniques we still see used in competitive hot dog eating to this day most notably the Solomon method of snapping the hot dog wiener in half and eating it as you dunk the bun in water was created by hot dog evangelist George Shea after the parable wherein King Solomon threatens to split a baby in half to reveal the most deserving victor between two rivals—how topical!) Most importantly winning the Nathan’s contest for six consecutive years as his star continued to rise in the United States ESPN began broadcasting the contest live in 2004 when Kobayashi set a new personal—and world—record of 53 hot dogs eaten in 12 minutes To quote one of George’s introductions for Kobayashi when he was still MLE’s most viable hero: “The rules of the universe do not apply to the 144 pounds that comprise Takeru Kobayashi He is an alchemist who has transformed athletics into mathematics But Kobi didn’t see himself as a magician or an artist only—he saw himself as an athlete and an innovator “I came to America to follow my dream,” he says in the doc “I thought of myself as someone creating a new sport.”  the Sheas began unleashing Kobayashi onto newly minted televised MLE events like the Alka Seltzer U.S “Kobayashi and the MLE were growing on parallel tracks both helping each other,” George says of the soaring period between 2001 and 2006 But George had always riddled the Nathans’ contests with pro-American rhetoric Of his famous storytelling around the missing Mustard Belt George says in the documentary that “everything just became enormously fun: How can the Japanese guy beat the American And that’s where things got off and running.”  When Kobayashi won the 2004 Nathan’s contest Even though it wasn’t an American who won—congratulations.” It’s unclear whether this was translated for Kobayashi but he’s said that the language barrier made him less aware of what was happening in the culture of the sport that he was building up brick by brick bun by bun with his unparalleled skill and showmanship While he was becoming an American icon—he was dominating the competitive eating of hot dogs for goodness’ sake—MLE was just waiting for an American who could beat him Kobayashi had been bested by only one opponent: a 1,089-pound Kodiak bear who claimed no home country on the TV show Man Vs And he thought what so many people do when they watch competitive eating: “I think I could do that.” More importantly “I think I’d like to do that.” He began training with his mom and brother and qualified for the 2005 Nathan’s Fourth of July competition by winning a local asparagus-eating contest as George put it to me more narratively: “He was a rookie out of the asparagus circuit.” That rookie placed third in his first Nathan’s competition he grew that number by 20 to take second place after reigning champ Kobayashi’s 53.75 hot dogs George was somehow salivating more than the both of them And here we’ve arrived at the most exciting time competitive eating has ever known—when eating actually became competitive the differences between Kobayashi and Chestnut were stark: “Kobi approached things quite artistically He’s more of the poet of competitive eating Chestnut told Haimes that the person he wanted to emulate was always Kobayashi Kobayashi sees it as almost an art.” Naturally these adoring words are spoken over a montage of Kobayashi shoveling spaghetti and spinach and artichoke dip into his mouth while he bested Joey in a competition in 2005 Joey had a very single-minded vision of wanting to beat Kobayashi,” Haimes tells me But there was a point—and he said this on the record—where he came to kind of hate him Where he really was thinking about him at night: How does he do it It’s easy to see how that obsession can tip into extremely strong feelings.” strong feelings turn into legendary performances he ate hundreds of hot dogs at home in San Jose and he began to see Kobayashi no longer as a god he wanted to emulate even though Kobayashi ate 10 more hot dogs than he had the previous year Chestnut ate even more: 66 hot dogs in 10 minutes to Kobayashi’s 63 putting an end to one hot dog dynasty and starting a new one When Chestnut earned his first of 16 Nathan’s championships MLE finally had what it wanted most: an American hot dog prince With that came the abrupt narrative heel turn of Kobayashi at every Nathan’s contest he entered he was the foreign villain coming to steal the belt back from the United States “I could feel the crowd becoming aggressive toward me,” Kobayashi said of his first loss to Chestnut “I started to feel threatened that they might do something to me when I got offstage The Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Contest hadn’t been designed to support two narrative heroes It hadn’t really been designed to become an entire sports league complete with competitors who trained like athletes and rookies from the asparagus circuit who chased down international superstars It had been designed … as a marketing stunt for Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs MLE decided to change the rules to limit the contest to 10 minutes which resulted in upset among the competitors who saw the rule change as needless at best “I wish George had been able to think about these people and how much they were training as athletes the time and energy they’re putting into the sport that’s huge,” Kobayashi’s wife and manager The unexpected time change also resulted in a tie between Kobayashi and Chestnut at 59 dogs for which MLE somehow had no contingency plan MLE seemed incapable of keeping up with the ever-increasing skill and demands of its top athletes was also beginning to feel uneasy about his restrictive contract “My whole ability to eat professionally in the United States was exclusively owned by Major League Eating,” he says in the 30 for 30 doc “I couldn’t participate in any TV shows or contests in the U.S George infamously confirmed as much: “The issue is as someone who’s competing at this from an international basis you have to understand that there’s an American hero And you can be a hero in the same exact way Kobi holds quite different rules around competing and honor,” Haimes tells me five years after her documentary first aired “When his sense of honor wasn’t really respected on the terrain of a competition in America Because we are of our culture.” That culture very much includes hot dogs eaten on the Fourth of July but also: taking a certain glee in the come-up of a hometown hero very powerful story that America got the belt back,” says George “And I picked up the flag and got on the table and said was very offensive and hurtful to Kobayashi.” George says he would have never done it if he’d known … It never occurred to me that he would take it in that way.” the great power of narrative is that it’s subjective—once a story is out in the world we no longer have the control over how it’s received that we once had in crafting it Kobayashi didn’t renew his MLE contract in 2010 and therefore he wasn’t invited to compete in the Nathan’s Fourth of July contest that year And after being arrested for walking up the side of the stage in a “Free Kobi” T-shirt while attending the contest as a spectator (George insists that Nathan’s never pursued pressing any charges) Kobayashi left the Nathan’s Fourth of July competition for the very last time As Chestnut and Kobayashi descend upon the stage to roars from the crowd a crew of people in all black are meticulously checking the temperature of the water Dozens of electric kettles have been set up on each side of the stage to keep the players’ water at what is clearly a previously decided-on perfect temperature Because Chestnut is no longer signed to MLE we’re allowed to know what name brands are being kept warm in towers of temperature-safe storage bins: Ball Park franks on Great Value buns There is a baby in the audience whom I cannot stop watching because I cannot believe she’s sleeping through the constant chants of “Jo-ey Ko-bi!” When I spoke to her parents in line earlier Exactly how many hot dogs has this baby consumed The entire family is wearing hot dog suits if competitive eating does ever codify so hard that it develops junior circuits this baby might be just a few years from starting her career And a few short decades from becoming the next Chestnut How many hot dogs will the human body be able to consume in 2046 The mind wanders when waiting for the most exciting 10 minutes of one’s young life I will say that anytime actual eating isn’t happening the broadcast is noticeably missing a little je-ne-sais-George-Shea Sometimes you just need a man in a hat to tell you why eating hot dogs quickly is akin to the creation story “This man represents all that is eternal in the human experience,” George once said of Chestnut and his victory shall be transcribed into every language known to history whom Nathan’s enthusiasts will know as Eater X 2 in the world by MLE in the not-so-distant past but whom I first became acquainted with as Chestnut’s partner on The Amazing Race according to the World Burping Federation—a different niche sports story for a different time.) He says that Kobayashi has been doing two full practices a week for the past six months and working on speed runs to get the pace of his first minutes at its absolute highest “Joey won three contests in a row against Kobi,” Janus says On June 11, just a few short weeks before the Fourth of July, Major League Eating made a statement that Chestnut the 16-time champion of the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest would not be competing in 2024 because he had chosen to “represent another hot dog brand.” Internet chaos ensued there was another appropriately dramatic word for what the dispute actually centered on: veganism At some point, while MLE was attempting to renegotiate Chestnut’s contract—a source who talks a lot like a Shea brother told the New York Post that Chestnut was paid $200,000 to appear in the Nathan’s contest in 2023 and was offered a four-year $1.2 million contract going forward—he informed them that he had signed as a spokesperson with Impossible Foods which includes a line of meatless hot dog franks “I really thought that it wouldn’t be an issue at all,” Chestnut told the GoJo and Golic podcast a few weeks after the news had come out “In my contract with Nathan’s and with Major League Eating it lists a bunch of companies I can’t work with and it lists these characteristics of companies that I can’t work with Chestnut either could not or was unwilling to unsign with Impossible; the result was that he didn’t re-sign with MLE which either could not or would not budge on a vegan clause for Joey’s contract Chestnut tweeted that he was “gutted to learn from the media that after 19 years Im banned from the Nathan’s July 4th Hot Dog Eating Contest I love celebrating America with my fans all over this great country on the 4th and I have been training to defend my title.” George Shea told ESPN of Chestnut’s contract decisions: “It would be like Michael Jordan saying to Nike but it grandly ignores that the sport of competitive eating in the United States has been almost entirely sanctioned and organized by a league that is directly tied to one brand So I’d counter that it’s a little more like saying you can’t play in the NBA because it’s sanctioned by Nike And neither one of us is gonna pay you Adidas money.” Immediately following the news that Chestnut was a free agent chatter took off among fans that Kobayashi should come out of retirement for one last non-MLE hot-dog-eating face-off Wouldn’t that be an unbelievable conclusion to their unfinished rivalry Wouldn’t that be like if Michael Jordan and LeBron James played a televised game of 21 and Nike and Adidas had nothing to do with it Except that in this world—the world where competitive eating is definitely a sport that’s been codified and built up into a league of serious athletes over the past several decades but also super is not the NBA—that kind of thing can actually happen Kobayashi may not be able to feel physical hunger anymore and he may have “retired,” but as Chestnut told me the day before facing him again for the first time in 15 years: “Champions like him who are that good He’s still got a lot of eating left in him.” Twenty-four hours after MLE cut ties with Chestnut seemingly pulled together from thin air: “UNFINISHED BEEF: Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi to compete in winner-takes-all hot dog eating contest live on Netflix on Labor Day.” The location was TBD The graphic used across social media was blatantly made by AI It was an incredible power move for Netflix to strike while the attention iron was hot and make it appear that it’d managed to convince two notorious rivals to face off the moment they became contractually available Because there’s another thing Netflix has in common with Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs: a long legacy of talented PR men who know how to capitalize on the moment and sell a story to the media they’ve never gotten anyone to sit on an egg for three weeks.)  If there’s one thing I’ve learned from hot dog reporting it’s that the story captures an audience’s attention first and the story being told here was that no one can bring together a live event like Netflix What it did with Unfinished Beef was the opposite of competitive eating’s typical self-fulfilling marketing stunts: It meticulously planned something and then made it seem like an effortless moment of kismet Netflix’s live programming department had been working to bring this rematch together for two years They simply ran into some incredible timing But there was still one speed bump: “When negotiating for this whole thing we were talking about the possibility of doing this on Fourth of July,” Kobayashi tells me That would have meant not competing in the Nathan’s competition in 2023 which Joey refused to do (62 hot dogs in 10 minutes) then I don’t think I want to compete against him,” says Kobayashi Haimes fortunately managed to rope him back into the deal with Netflix by suggesting that they couldn’t “let the perfect get in the way of the good.” Kobayashi relented and even said that Chestnut could compete in the Nathan’s contest in 2024 if he wanted They would simply find a different (slightly less patriotic) date for their one-on-one “But then he was banned from the Nathan’s competition After MLE contracts worked against them for years a contract dispute finally worked in their favor Before the buzzer signals the most important 10 minutes of their careers Kobayashi and Chestnut both spend the final moments positioning their Unfinished Beef–branded cups of water Chestnut holds water in his mouth so that his first dog will be plunged into a mouth lake of sorts These are all the things I’m able to observe before I go full id at the hot-dog-eating contest. I’m screaming. I’m changing my allegiances rapidly. I’m watching the baby. (Still asleep!) My face is deranged. I’m like Zendaya in Challengers. When former competitive eater Hitomi Sato (1.09 million subscribers on YouTube) appears on the broadcast screen weeping in Kobayashi’s section even though I swore to myself that under no circumstances would I cry at the Netflix hot-dog-eating contest I am immediately swept away by this rapid consumption of glizzies And speaking of the speed—it’s unbelievable Chestnut and Kobayashi have reached their personal first-minute bests (13 and 11 far outpacing past contests in which they were allowed to dunk They’ve found new methods to adapt to the new rules which include basically throwing water into any crevice in their mouths—or rather their whole entire faces—that is not subsumed by hot dog a small lag that Kobayashi is able to hold for several of the mid-contest minutes Whereas Kobayashi is using two hands to stuff the hot dogs in his mouth—perhaps a leftover physical habit from years of the Solomon method—Chestnut finds a hypnotizing rhythm wherein he holds the cup of water in his right hand and slams dogs into his face with his left hand which is so large you can’t even see what the clump is in his hand and with a minute and 10 seconds left on the clock Chestnut breaks his own personal record of 76 hot dogs Kobayashi breaks his personal best with 40 seconds left but it’s slightly overshadowed by the fact that Chestnut just hit 80 hot dogs Kobi wiggles; he chomps; he throws water in his face Chestnut eats 83 hot dogs to Kobayashi’s 67 with one hot dog subtracted from Kobayashi’s total after the extremely official weighing of leftover crumbs The close-ups of Kobayashi’s friends and family section are heartbreaking—pride and sorrow all wrapped up in a community of faces many of whom are also sporting fuck ass bobs his black shirt appears to glitter in the spotlight it’s just covered in bits of wet bread and beef The winner of the first Netflix Unfinished Beef hot dog competition is Chestnut by a mile—or about 42 inches of hot dog He’s been presented with a WWE-style belt by a masked wrestler named Rey Mysterio Chestnut’s and Kobayashi’s immediate futures will be consumed by the digestion of the 20,000-ish calories they just ingested It usually takes about five days to get back down to their normal weight after a contest and there’s a serotonin crash that comes with taking in and releasing all those chemicals I can relate to the feeling as I walk out into the actual Las Vegas sunlight after 10 of the strangest while Haimes and I are trying to crack precisely why we find competitive eating so fascinating she can’t stop thinking about a story a boss told her years ago when she was a young production assistant at National Geographic and he told a story of watching lions hunt gemsbok,” she says and the lions would run up and pull down the straggler And the most interesting thing about it is that the gemsbok didn’t continue to run They actually stopped and crept back closer to watch the lions eat the gemsbok.” eating is this animal act that we all participate in to some degree … There’s a pane of safety glass between you and the danger.” “Why would the gemsbok watch the lions eat the fallen gemsbok?” Haimes wondered figuring out the answer to her lurking question all these years later Because when given the opportunity to watch the most heightened behaviors of our species from the safety of the outside looking in—we will The human act of eating done with such abandon is both relatable and repulsive—I nearly cried and gagged in equal measure inside the HyperX Arena To then curate that subversion into an organized sport breaks down the social norms we’re so dependent on to guide us And the select few remain consumed by it: Can I do that It’s shown us a lot of different professional athletes be vulnerable in a lot of different Netflix seems to value the story of sport as much as And professional competitive eating is a sport that started with a story But as much as this pairing makes sense—as much as Chestnut and Kobayashi took the reins into their own hands to raise the standard of their sport as much fun as this rivalry was to watch and follow as a fan as much as I absolutely did not cry while watching Chestnut defy all physiological human bounds by eating 83 hot dogs in 10 minutes—it’s really hard to imagine Netflix doing this again without extremely similar Because Netflix is also in the desperate state of trying to elevate its platform Netflix is also neck-deep in the highly corporate task of commodifying the human need for community by breaking into live programming From the company that first brought you streaming then revolutionized bingeable original programming we see [live events] like another tool in our toolbox,” Gabe Spitzer and bring people together for a communal moment.” And is a live hot-dog-eating contest the kind of thing that could bring people together in a communal moment … annually “I think we want to get through this one and see how it does but I think there’s always a possibility to do more.” In a sport that can render its competitors incapable of feeling full, I just hope that Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi are satisfied. ArchiveWe’ve been around since Brady was a QB Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInHONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - The investigation into the Maui woman who went missing after landing at Los Angeles International Airport took a major turn on Monday the Los Angeles Police Department said the family of 30-year-old Hannah Kobayashi was made aware of video that was obtained showing Kobayashi crossing the border on foot from San Diego into Mexico on Nov and appeared unharmed,” LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said McDonnell said the case was classified as a voluntary missing person case and there was no evidence of foul play or trafficking Kobayashi was also not a suspect in any criminal activity “Investigators noted that before departing Maui Kobayashi expressed the desire to step away from modern connectivity,” McDonnell added Since she is believed to be out of the country McDonnell said the LAPD investigation will not continue into Mexico but will resume if she returns to the U.S He urged Kobayashi to contact authorities to ensure that she is safe also announced that the Facebook group that was created to help with search efforts had been shut down citing negative online comments and threats It’s been nearly a month since Hannah Kobayashi went missing The 30-year-old was heading to New York City to visit family but missed her connecting flight on Nov she decided not to board her prescheduled flight to New York that same day,” McDonnell said Kobayashi was seen on surveillance footage at various locations in Los Angeles video showed her getting on a metro with an unknown individual McDonnell said that person has been identified and has been cooperative in the investigation LAPD verified his story and details he provided McDonnell urges anyone who may have further information about the case to contact LAPD at 877-527-3247 or lacrimestoppers.org. Copyright 2024 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved. 2025·Ski JumpingRyoyu Kobayashi leads the way in the Raw Air Tournament | NordicFocus Olympic champion Ryoyu Kobayashi (JPN) claimed his third consecutive World Cup victory of the season as he landed on top of the podium in Oslo The 28-year-old attained a combined total of 264.1 points to finish 10.8 points clear of Jan Hoerl (AUT) Kobayashi struggled at the start of the 2024/25 FIS Ski Jumping season but returned in top-form when he claimed the so-called ‘double’ in Sapporo (JPN) last month the two-time Crystal Globe winner laid the foundation for his third successive victory in the first round with a distance of 129.5m and a total of 132.6 points to take an early 7.4 points lead over Andreas Wellinger (GER) and 9.0 points ahead of Geiger (GER) Kobayashi further extended that lead to 10.8 points after a strong showing in the second round (127.0m and 131.5 points) The Japanese star now leads the Raw Air Tournament “I have good equipment and mentally I feel strong for the competitions Kobayashi ended a 26-year-wait and became the first Japanese winner in Oslo since Noriaki Kasai (JPN) claimed victory in 1999 Austria’s Jan Hoerl bounced back from fifth after the first round to second place thanks to a strong outing in the final round The 2025 individual World silver and bronze medalist attained a total of 253.3 points for his 13th World Cup podium finish of the 2024/25 season who had topped the qualifications earlier in the day Geiger sat in third after the first round (123.6) and held onto that position in the final round (128.8) It's Geiger's second World Cup podium finish this season Geiger saw his teammate Andreas Wellinger finish outside the podium the 2025 World Normal Hill silver medalist but did not manage to hold onto that position A disappointing second jump saw him land in seventh Philipp Raimund (GER) and Domen Prevc (SLO) World Cup leader Daniel Tschofenig finished in ninth and saw his lead in the overall rankings decrease to 132 points over Jan Hoerl (AUT) a regular on the World Cup podium this season and 2025 World Normal hill champion Marius Lindvik (NOR) were absent in Oslo The two are being investigated for their alleged involvement in illegal equipment manipulation at last Saturday’s Men’s Large Hill Ski Jumping competition of the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships Trondheim 2025 14 March 17.00: Start Men’s Flying Hill qualification 15 March 10.45: Start Women’s Flying Hill competition 15 March 17.00: Start Men’s Flying Hill competition 16 March 10.45: Start Women’s Flying Hill competition 16 March 15.05: Start Men’s Flying Hill qualification 16 March 16.35: Start Men’s Flying Hill competition After a monthslong search for Hannah Kobayashi who was ultimately declared a “voluntary missing person,” the Hawaii native reflected on her future after returning from Mexico Hannah Kobayashi is only looking forward now she shared insight into her personal life for the time being "My focus now is on my healing, my peace and my creativity," Hannah said in a statement through her aunt Larie Pidgeon shared with NBC News Dec "I am deeply grateful to my family and everyone who has shown me kindness and compassion during this time."  Hannah—who missed her connecting flight from Los Angeles to New York last month prompting an investigation from the Los Angeles Police Department—admitted that she didn't realize how much traction her departure garnered "I was unaware of everything that was happening in the media while I was away," she continued and my loved ones as I navigate through this challenging time." her case was catapulted into virality as her family became increasingly concerned with her well-being due to her unusual actions including sending text messages to her loved ones about her identity and money being stolen was ultimately declared a "voluntary missing person" by the Los Angeles Police Department after footage of the photographer entering Mexico according to the County of Los Angeles Medical Examiner Ultimately, Hannah's sister Sydni Kobayashi and mom Brandi Yee confirmed they had made contact with her "We are incredibly relieved and grateful that Hannah has been found safe," the pair shared in a statement to NBC News Dec "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." Although Sydni was grateful for her sister's safe return she also reflected on the tragic events her family endured "When a loved one goes missing, you instinctively enter panic mode," she wrote on Facebook Dec "Your body switches to fight or flight you can't fully comprehend the physical "Couple that immeasurable pain with the court of public opinion and the relentless scrutiny that followed and it's a challenge no one is prepared to face," she continued "The past 31 days have been absolute hell for us and I feel they will continue to be for a while even as we try to transition back to some semblance of normalcy." she noted that each day was stained with the "unbearable uncertainty of whether my sister was alive or dead." "Losing my father to suicide during this ordeal was more than my soul and heart could bear," she wrote Despite the differences any family has—and we all do—my son read on to learn more about Hannah's case News and NBC News are part of the NBCUniversal family.) 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 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 was checked through to her final destination Surveillance video reviewed by police showed the 30-year-old picking up her bag at LAX on Nov 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 Family members used the photo data to track Hannah to Taschen 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 "We think she was staying around The Grove," Larie told the Times "It's a pretty touristy area with a lot of shops so we think she was just in that area sightseeing and felt safe." Hannah's Texts Take a Concerning Turn Hannah's text messages to family members had sounded normal including laments that she hadn't been able to get another flight yet Hannah texted another aunt that she was concerned her identity and all her money had been stolen "She was using words like 'hun' and 'babe' and saying 'someone's trying to steal my funds,'" Larie said 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 The last time Hannah had her phone turned on was at 4 p.m Her family reported her missing the following day 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 "It is evident that Hannah does not appear to be in good condition and she is not alone," her family wrote on Facebook where she used her passport to purchase a bus ticket to a spot near the California-Mexico border 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 "She's a beautiful girl inside and outside It’s like a grain of sand in the ocean." 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 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 The RAD Movement a nonprofit advocate for families of missing people "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 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 Investigators from the department's Missing Persons Unit went to the border Dec Customs and Border Protection that showed her walking into Mexico Hannah is now considered a voluntary missing person 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 Kobayashi's safety and well-being," LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said at a news conference 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 "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 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 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." Your source for entertainment news, celebrities, celeb news, and ​celebrity gossip. Check out the hottest fashion, photos, movies and TV shows! © 2025 E! Entertainment Television, LLC A Division of NBCUniversal. All rights reserved. who won gold in the Normal Hill event at Beijing 2022 as well as silver in the Large Hill discipline will now seek a maiden World title in Trondheim (NOR) Kobayashi, who attained his first win and podium finish of the season on Saturday, trailed Beijing 2022 Large Hill champion Marius Lindvik (NOR) at the halfway stage of the second Sapporo World Cup cheered on by home support Kobayashi overhauled his rival with a jump of 137m Lindvik's countryman Johann Andre Forfang (268.7) climbed four places between the rounds to place third The Japanese athlete finished with a combined total of 278.4 from his two jumps with Lindvik (274.2) achieving his first top-three result of the 2024/25 campaign Countryman Johann Andre Forfang (268.7) climbed four places between the rounds to place third I’m so happy,” said an emotional Kobayashi after recording his second successive victory in less than 24 hours he added; “I have to prepare a little bit more Yellow jersey holder Daniel Tschofenig missed out on the podium for just the fourth time across an FIS Ski Jumping World Cup weekend who finished fourth in both events in Sapporo holds a commanding 183 point lead at the top of the standings Despite topping the standings on Saturday Kobayashi’s form early on Sunday in the qualification round had suggested he might find a double podium more than a little challenging cheered on by an excitable crowd showed how he is still a man who relishes performing on the big occasion He was not the only reason for the supporters in Sapporo to shout for though with nine Japanese athletes progressing to the main round including legendary ski jumper Noriaki Kasai who was making a record-extending 580th World Cup appearance missed out on a place in the main round on Saturday but delighted those in attendance at the Okurayama Ski Jump Stadium by qualifying but hopes to return to the circuit again soon as he seeks to attain 600 World Cup appearances before retiring Another athlete who was unable to progress to the final round was Pius Paschke with the German who has won dive World Cup stages this season now without a top-three finish since the middle of December His international team-mate Andreas Wellinger enjoyed a much more promising start to the second Sapporo contest with the two-time Olympic champion in fourth and just 1.4 points short of Domen Prevc (SLO) at the halfway stage The top of the standings at the halfway stage took on something of an unfamiliar look given results so far this season Lindvik’s reward for an outstanding jump of 136m was a lead of 7.3 from Kobayashi after the completion of the opening stage World Cup leader and Four Hills Tournament winner Tschofenig and gave Austria hope though in fifth and sixth The expected Austrian medal-charge did not materialise though who each surpassed the 130m mark in the second round Wellinger has struggled to find his usual consistency this season and he would slip down the rankings and out of contention The Slovenian’s effort of 138m was the longest jump of the day and it enabled him to climb eight places The Norwegian has been in impressive form over the last month but endured a difficult opening to the Sapporo World Cup weekend with poor conditions impacting an otherwise strong performance on Saturday His brilliant second round jump saw him climb from seventh to third and ensure he takes positive momentum into his home World Championships next month Lindvik too will head to Trondheim 2025 with renewed optimism after ending an 11 month run for a top-three World Cup finish with his best result of the season, placing second. It could have been a first victory since 2022 for the Olympic, World and European medalist, but Kobayashi’s brilliance saw the Japanese jumper leap into the lead. His final jump of 137m achieved the highest score of the contest, 146.4 points, to give the home favourite a deserved victory. The LAPD is now classifying her as a “voluntary missing person” and say there are no signs of foul play. Officials urged Kobayashi, a 30-year-old Maui resident, or anyone who knows her exact whereabouts to reach out to authorities or the family so they can ensure that she is safe. Kobayashi’s family said in a statement Monday that they weren’t giving up the search and urged law enforcement and the public to “stay focused on finding her and to avoid speculative conclusions.” “We are deeply grateful for the urgency and dedication law enforcement has shown in investigating Hannah’s disappearance,” the statement read. “Our family remains hopeful that Hannah is safe and urges everyone to continue the search. The search is far from over, and we are committed to doing everything possible to bring her home safely.” Here is a review of what we know about the case: California Hannah Kobayashi crossed the U.S. border into Mexico on foot and alone, according to Los Angeles police. Ryan Kobayashi, who flew to Los Angeles looking for his daughter, Hannah, after she was reported missing, ‘tragically took his own life,’ according to his family. Officials don’t know why Kobayashi went to Mexico or exactly where she is now. But they said the video evidence was clear. “The footage clearly shows 30-year-old Hannah Kobayashi crossing the United States border on foot into Mexico,” police said in a statement. L.A. Police Chief Jim McDonnell said police haven’t uncovered evidence that Kobayashi was being trafficked or involved in any criminal activity. Old social media posts, McDonnell said, suggested that Kobayashi had “expressed the desire to step away from modern connectivity.” Kobayashi is believed to have left her phone in Los Angeles. Volunteers put up fliers of Hannah Kobayashi of Maui, Hawaii, who has been missing. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) What’s next?The LAPD investigation will not continue a search into Mexico, McDonnell said, but he encouraged anyone with information about Kobayashi’s whereabouts to contact law enforcement. Authorities will be notified if Kobayashi chooses to reenter the U.S., he added. “She has a right to her privacy, and we respect her choices,” McDonnell said, “but we also understand the concern loved ones feel for her; a simple message could reassure those she cares about.” Libor Jany covers the Los Angeles Police Department. Before joining the Los Angeles Times in 2022, he covered public safety for the Star Tribune in Minneapolis. A St. Paul, Minn., native, Jany studied communications at Mississippi State University. Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map In a statement provided to the media outlet, Hannah Kobayashi said she was "unaware" of the widespread reports released the statement on behalf of her niece noting that she crossed the border from Mexico on Sunday The Los Angeles Police Department on Wednesday said Kobayashi was found unharmed Her loved ones later disabled donations on a GoFundMe account that was created to help pay for resources volunteers apparently needed as they looked for her Her family also said they will give the money back Kobayashi's disappearance recently prompted a massive search and a missing persons investigation in Los Angeles with police describing it as "a voluntary disappearance." Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell previously said investigators determined Kobayashi purposely failed to board a connecting flight to New York at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on Nov He said they learned she later went to Mexico willingly McDonnell said investigators declared her a voluntary missing person after surveillance footage showed her traveling across the border "expressed the desire to step away from modern connectivity." was found dead at LAX from an apparent suicide amid the search His body was discovered in a car outside the airport just two weeks after his daughter was reported missing the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office said his cause of death was "multiple blunt force traumatic injuries." Loved ones said they are "all heartbroken and at a loss for words." said they are working to conclude the investigation now that Kobayashi was found "Now that we have this new information this has become a private matter and we will wrap up our investigation," the department said with a report indicating Kobayashi was allegedly involved in a "green card visa scheme gone wrong." "Kobayashi didn't tell her family she was married" and later claimed she was tricked into giving away most of her money by someone she thought she loved In a statement posted on social media through their attorney Kobayashi's family said they are "incredibly relieved and grateful" she is safe as well as urged everyone to give them privacy EDITOR'S NOTE: The Associated Press contributed to this report Editor’s note: This article discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org Each new update in the monthlong search for a missing Hawaii woman captivated the nation. And after family members announced Wednesday that Hannah Kobayashi, 30, had been found safe questions are still swirling about what could have caused the photographer to abruptly stop communicating with her loved ones and leave the country Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said Kobayashi walked through the U.S.-Mexico border in California voluntarily on Nov days after she missed her connecting flight to New York or human trafficking as had been speculated on social media "We are happy to learn that Hannah has been found safe," the department said in a statement to USA TODAY this has become a private matter and we will wrap up our investigation."   But it's unlikely the public will ever see the results of that investigation or learn exactly what happened to Kobayashi after she was reported missing last month an assistant professor in the criminal justice department of The University of Louisiana at Lafayette then there is no crime and there's nothing to investigate," said Jeanis "And they have no obligation to tell the public anything or the family anything." According to accounts from family and police, on Nov. 8, Kobayashi missed a connecting flight from Maui to New York City at Los Angeles International Airport and was later spotted at different locations around the city She sent a series of unusual text messages to her family including mentions of not feeling safe and of someone attempting to steal her identity and money Kobayashi stopped contacting them days later prompting her family to file a missing person report and launch a sweeping During the search Kobayashi's father, Ryan Kobayashi, 58, died by suicide near LAX Police later said Kobayashi intentionally missed her flight to New York - a claim the family disputes - and reclassified her as a voluntary missing person after reviewing footage that showed her crossing the southern border On Wednesday, lawyers for the family said she had been found in Mexico “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,” the statement attributed to her mother Brandi Yee and sister Sydni Kobayashi “We want to express our heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported us during this difficult time It's not clear what led Kobayashi to cut off communication with her family and travel to Mexico McDonnell told reporters that before she departed Maui Kobayashi "expressed a desire to step away from modern connectivity," which may explain why she did not have her phone after departing LAX voluntary departures are prompted by a high stress situation like a divorce "We rarely see a case reach this level of exposure or attention for what seems like just family dysfunction or perhaps poor communication," she said "We have not seen her and at this point we have no reason to compel her to see us," Lt. Doug Oldfield, a member of the LAPD missing persons unit, told PEOPLE "It’s a big news story so she may decide to come with a lawyer Oldfield told PEOPLE that if Kobayashi crosses the border back into the United States she will still "show as a missing person." He said the department is waiting for Customs and Border Protection or other law enforcement agents to make contact and determine she's okay "Then we take her out of the system," he told the outlet (This story has been updated to add new information.) Contributing: James Powel, Christopher Cann and Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY the Hawaii woman whose disappearance at LAX prompted a weeks-long search in the city has spoken out for the first time since returning to the U.S according to a statement issued by her family I crossed the border back into the United States,” Kobayashi said in a statement provided by her aunt I am deeply grateful to my family and everyone who has shown me kindness and compassion during this time.” Kobayashi said that she didn’t learn of the media coverage around her family reporting her missing until she returned “I was unaware of everything that was happening in the media while I was away Thank you for your understanding,” she wrote Kobayashi disappeared after missing her Nov She was reported missing after her family said she sent them cryptic text messages suggesting that her identity and money had been stolen The investigation culminated with the Los Angeles Police Department classifying her as a “voluntary missing person,” saying there was no evidence of criminal activity and video showed her crossing the border into Mexico The LAPD also said it didn’t believe Kobayashi was a victim of trafficking or foul play Police officials said they got notification from Customs Border Protection that Kobayashi reentered the U.S from Mexico on Sunday and “appeared in good health,” according to a department news release and Kobayashi has been removed from the missing and unidentified persons system Kobayashi’s family pushed back on the official police narrative that their loved one had gone off on her own the 30-year-old used cash and her passport to get a bus ticket to Union Station in order to reach the San Ysidro border crossing where she crossed into Mexico through a tunnel Kobayashi’s father, Ryan traveled from Hawaii to Los Angeles to help look for his daughter 24 near LAX; authorities deemed his death a suicide Kobayashi’s disappearance was the second case in which a woman was reported missing by their families to the LAPD and their statements conflicted with official police narrative. “Gossip Girl” actress Chanel Banks was reported missing by her family in November before police revealed she was found safe in Texas. World & Nation Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker holds a picture of his missing daughter Hannah Kobayashi outside Crypto.com Arena Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said this week that the video shows Hannah Kobayashi walking with her luggage alone into a covered walkway at San Diego’s San Ysidro crossing on Nov the day after relatives reported her missing “For them to tell us that they have been keeping us informed throughout the entire time that’s absolutely inaccurate,” Sydni Kobayashi said Tuesday “We feel like we’re left in the dark and that was kind of like a huge slap in the face for us.” Investigators spotted Kobayashi on video while reviewing surveillance footage from U.S Sydni Kobayashi said authorities have not shown any surveillance video to the family The family has hired a private investigator and attorney because they still feel Hannah is in danger but that doesn’t discount the fact that someone could be watching her from afar knowing how big this case has gotten and kind of like maybe controlling her or like telling her what to do,” the sister said Kobayashi disappeared voluntarily as she sought to “step away from modern connectivity.” “We’ve basically done everything we can do at this point She’s left the country and in another nation now,” he said McDonnell said she has a right to her privacy but urged her to reach out to her family or law enforcement He explained that the missing person case will remain active until her safety is confirmed by authorities The budding photographer from Maui went missing after she didn’t make a connecting flight to New York on Nov 8 to travel for a new job and to visit relatives Authorities declared Kobayashi a “voluntary missing person,” meaning she left of her own free will Investigators reviewed surveillance video of her crossing the border alone with her luggage Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell told reporters Monday evening Kobayashi appeared unharmed and authorities have found no evidence Kobayashi was being trafficked or was otherwise a victim of a crime The chief urged Kobayashi to contact her distraught family Here is a look at the case and the latest developments: 8 for a new job and to visit relatives when she missed a connecting flight during a stop at Los Angeles International Airport She told her family she was sleeping at the airport that night and texted them the next day to say she was sightseeing in Los Angeles Her family reported her missing to law enforcement on Nov 11 after relatives received “strange and cryptic she went dark,” Pidgeon told The Associated Press on Nov friends and local volunteers searched for Hannah in Los Angeles Police said Kobayashi walked into Mexico at the San Ysidro border crossing about 125 miles (201 kilometers) southeast of Los Angeles on Nov the day after her family reported her missing Authorities made the announcement after reviewing security video from U.S Kobayashi disappeared voluntarily as she sought to “step away from modern connectivity,” McDonnell McDonnell said Kobayashi has a right to her privacy He explained that the missing person case will remain active until law enforcement confirms her safety During a police commission meeting last week McDonnell said detectives determined Kobayashi missed her connecting flight intentionally disputed his statement in a social media post Authorities in Mexico say they have been alerted about the missing woman but haven’t received any official request to search for her It’s difficult to investigate cases involving missing adults “unless you can prove that there is some sort of foul play” or other factors are involved such as mental illness or an outstanding warrant a retired New York City Police Department sergeant whose career included missing persons cases you don’t want to be found,” he told The Associated Press the people who are were a “voluntary missing person” and leave without a trace were in a “very small category.” “Usually there’s some indication why the person left,” such as problems at home or escaping a certain situation Giacalone said the LAPD acted correctly in investigating Kobayashi’s disappearance because the missed flight could indicate foul play investigators need to move on to other cases “We’re not going to go pick her up in Mexico and bring her back,” he said 24 in a parking lot near LA International Airport The family set up a “Help Us Find Hannah” Facebook page that was no longer available Tuesday Members of the public who were a part of the Facebook group shared a post Monday that said the family would be shutting it down The post also said Sydni Kobayashi and her mother would not be responding to any messages Sydni Kobayashi has not responded to an emailed request for comment on the latest details Things you buy through our links may earn Vox Media a commission the Netflix eating competition didn’t allow for contestants to dunk their buns in water a technique “Kobayashi all but perfected.” Things you buy 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Print Hannah Kobayashi disappeared about two weeks ago after missing her connecting flight at Los Angeles International Airport died from an apparent suicide over the weekend after searching for his daughter for weeks Los Angeles police are still investigating Kobayashi’s disappearance as a missing person case the Hawaii woman who disappeared two weeks ago after missing a flight at Los Angeles International Airport hasn’t given up the search for their loved one Kobayashi’s relatives are grappling with an additional tragedy after Kobayashi’s father was found dead Sunday near LAX of what police say was an apparent suicide was found in a parking lot in the 6100 block of Century Boulevard According to the Los Angeles County medical examiner the elder Kobayashi died from blunt force traumatic injuries “The search is still on for Hannah,” said Kobayashi’s aunt “I know everyone’s focused on Ryan’s death but he would’ve wanted us to continue searching for his daughter and we need the public’s help now more than ever.” Hannah Kobayashi, a 30-year-old Maui resident, left Hawaii for LAX on Nov. 8. By the time her flight arrived in Los Angeles, however, she didn’t have time to make a connecting flight to John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City, according to Pidgeon. The missing woman is described as 5 feet 10 inches and about 140 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes, a knife tattoo on her forearm and freckles on her face, according to a Los Angeles Police Department news release. Kobayashi was booked on the same flight as her ex-boyfriend. They decided to keep the itinerary because they couldn’t get a refund, but planned to go their separate ways after landing at JFK, according to Kobayashi’s sister, Sydni. who flew to Los Angeles looking for his daughter ‘tragically took his own life,’ according to his family Kobayashi went to the Taschen bookstore near The Grove on Nov 9 and sent a photo of a book to a relative The family later used the data from the photo and went to the bookstore where they confirmed with employees that she was there Kobayashi also filled out a newsletter form with her Maui address On Nov. 10, Kobayashi attended the LeBron XXII Trial Experience, an event held at the Nike store at the Grove, and was seen in a promotional video about the pop-up event, according to Pidgeon. Kobayashi also posted a black-and-white photo on Instagram about it. “We think she was staying around The Grove,” Pidgeon said. “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.” Until Nov. 11, Kobayashi had been texting normally with her family members, telling them that she couldn’t wait to get to New York and that it had been a nightmare trying to get another flight. Then, on Nov. 11, another of Kobayashi’s aunts started getting “alarming” text messages from her, expressing concern that someone had stolen her identity and all of her money, according to Pidgeon. Her family grew concerned and tried to get a hold of her but didn’t hear back. “She was using words like ‘hun’ and ‘babe’ and saying ‘someone’s trying to steal my funds,’” Pidgeon said. “She doesn’t talk like that. It was just out of character and the family sounded the alarm.” Kobayashi’s phone’s was last turned on at LAX on Nov. 11 at 4 p.m. and hasn’t been turned back on since. A Hawaii woman traveling to New York has disappeared after missing a connecting flight at Los Angeles International Airport, according to her family and police. On Nov. 11, surveillance video showed Kobayashi boarding a Metro train with an “unidentified person,” according to Pidgeon. Kobayashi was then seen transferring stations with the same person and exiting a train at the Pico station around 10 p.m. Pidgeon declined to provide a physical description of the person with Kobayashi because she doesn’t want to hinder the police investigation. “It’s alarming. It doesn’t make any sense. The Pico station isn’t near any hotels,” Pidgeon said, adding that the woman in the footage is “100% her.” Pidgeon said the LAPD told them that before the family received those texts sent from Kobayashi‘s phone, she had spoken to an American Airlines ticketing agent to try to book a flight to JFK. Her family reported her missing on Nov. 12. The family wrote in a Nov. 18 Facebook post that in the video footage of Kobayashi near the Pico station, “it is evident that Hannah does not appear to be in good condition and she is not alone.” LAPD detectives are investigating Kobayashi’s disappearance as a missing person case and had no updates to share Tuesday morning, according to LAPD spokesperson Jeff Lee. Anyone with more information has been asked to contact the LAPD at (877) 527-3247. Pidgeon said police have gotten a “bunch of really good leads” that she couldn’t share. But she said police believe Kobayashi is still in Los Angeles. “At this point, we can’t rule anything out because it’s been 15 days since she’s been missing and nobody’s heard from her,” Pidgeon added. “We are considering abduction or trafficking. That’s something the family had to come to grips with over the past couple of weeks, but that doesn’t mean we’re losing hope or giving up.” The LAPD has also informed the family that they’ve escalated the case and put a lot of manpower on the investigation. Pidgeon said it’s a “huge relief” that police don’t think Kobayashi left on her own accord. “Hannah is a 30-year-old and woman, and unfortunately if you’re not disabled, a minor, or an elderly person with dementia, they don’t take your case seriously because they think you voluntarily go off on your own,” Pidgeon said. “LAPD didn’t really take the case seriously until a week after she went missing.” LAPD spokesperson Lee declined to disclose whether the department considers Kobayashi “voluntarily” missing, saying, “That’s all speculation. We’re not gonna comment on that.” Chanel Maya Banks either is a missing person who may be in danger or hurt “I don’t think anyone knows what it’s like to not know where your daughter is,” Pidgeon said and these people saying he had something to do with it — it’s just cruel and needs to be shut down.” Pidgeon said the family wanted to dispel any conspiracy theories that Ryan was involved in any way in his daughter’s disappearance “We just want Ryan’s legacy to remain that he was a father who couldn’t deal with it,” Pidgeon said and I wish there was something we could’ve done A GoFundMe page has been set up to provide assistance for Ryan’s fiancée “He has been living his absolute worst nightmare since Hannah’s disappearance our family is grappling with unimaginable grief,” wrote Ryan’s niece The Kobayashi family is also raising money through GoFundMe to aid in the search efforts and to cover the cost of Ryan’s funeral. “We ask the public to be kind and compassionate toward us,” Pidgeon said. “Ryan was reading those social media posts. You have a whole family that’s seeing it, so please be kind and compassionate. Put yourself in our shoes.” The department reclassified Kobayashi as a voluntary missing person Monday after saying it reviewed video footage from U.S Customs and Border Protection that showed Kobayashi cross the U.S.-Mexico border on foot in San Ysidro Kobayashi, 30, stopped contacting her family on Nov 11 after a string of out of character text messages that included mentions of not feeling safe and of someone attempting to steal her identity and money "I can’t shake the last messages she sent friends and family which I’ve replayed in my mind a thousand times trying to make sense of it but still cannot," Larie Pidgeon said in a statement provided to USA TODAY Tuesday LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said in a press conference there was no evidence that the family caused Kobayashi to abruptly stop communicating with them and leave the country The Kobayashi family has been searching for Hannah for over three weeks, during which her father, Ryan Kobayashi, was found dead near Los Angeles International Airport in an apparent suicide Pidgeon said that she had not been notified about the footage from the border until hours before the LAPD press conference She had not reviewed the footage as of Tuesday morning but accepted that the department was able to identify Kobayashi "Hannah never mentioned any plans to travel to Mexico and no one in her life knew she intended to go there," Pidgeon said "What alarms me even more is her complete disconnection from her phone McDonnell told reporters during the press conference that before she departed Maui Kobayashi "expressed a desire to step away from modern connectivity," but did not provide details Douglas Oldfield said "there were some desires or posts" police had reviewed that would be consistent with "somebody who'd want to disconnect from her phone." We just know that she did not have her phone after she left LAX," Oldfield said "We know she doesn't have her phone on her The department said that the investigation will not continue into Mexico but remain open in the Missing and Unidentified Persons System In a statement posted on social media hours before the LAPD's news conference on Monday announced that a Facebook group that had been set up to help find Hannah would be pulled down Kobayashi thanked people who've come to the family's aid and vowed to continue search efforts writing "we will not stop until we find my sister." Pidgeon echoed Kobayashi's gratitude in her statement and that love is what drives me to keep searching for her," Pidgeon said that she is safe and making these decisions of her own accord." LOS ANGELES − The search continues for a missing woman presumed to be in Los Angeles as her family holds out hope more than a week since her disappearance Hannah Kobayashi 11 after she had missed a connecting flight from Maui to New York City at Los Angeles International Airport days earlier on Nov previously told USA TODAY that the family was alarmed when they received texts from Kobayashi that were out of character Pidgeon elaborated in an interview Tuesday night that odd phrases and a lack of emojis in the messages set off alarm bells she wasn't in contact with us in her right mind." Screenshots shared with USA TODAY show Kobayashi sending messages on Nov I have a safe passage," and "Matrix style .. The family is organizing a volunteer canvas this week in the area near where Kobayashi was last seen Pidgeon called the effort by volunteers in Los Angeles to find Kobayashi "super heartwarming." "Los Angeles is coming out of the woodwork to help us," Pidgeon said weighing about 140 pounds and has brown hair and eyes Pidgeon said that while the family remains hopeful to find Kobayashi and is following leads provided through a tip line The fact that she has been missing for over a week has caused the family to prepare for multiple outcomes "We have to face some real realizations that this could be an abduction this could be every worst nightmare that you think of," Pidgeon said "The reason that we have to do that is because now we have to take other avenues and it's become a reality that we have to face." When asked what she would say to Kobayashi Pidgeon reiterated that the family is not giving up hope she's loving and if she met you on the street Anyone with information on Kobayashi's whereabouts is asked to call Los Angeles police at 1-877-527-3247 or The Rad Movement at 619-904-0840 Hawaii woman was reported missing in November sparking international search that ended with her safe return Hannah Kobayashi had been “unaware of everything that was happening in the media” after the 30-year-old Hawaii native’s disappearance prompted her family to report her missing in November, setting off an international search, she reportedly wrote in a statement following her safe return “I am still processing it all,” Kobayashi said in the statement, which her aunt Larie Pidgeon distributed to media outlets including NBC News Kobayashi was traveling to New York City on 8 November for a new job and to visit relatives when she missed a connecting flight during a stop at Los Angeles international airport She indicated to her family that she would sleep at the airport that night and then go sightseeing in Los Angeles That was when Kobayashi’s relatives began receiving “strange, cryptic messages – things about the matrix”, Pigeon later told the Los Angeles news outlet KTLA Kobayashi stopped responding after her “family started pressing” as the aunt recounted to the Associated Press Her phone finally “just went dead” on 11 November A large, frenzied investigation from police ensued amid speculation that – among other possibilities – Kobayashi had maybe vanished because she participated in a marriage for money and was scammed out of the proceeds. Family members, friends and local volunteers aiding the search in and around Los Angeles with news cameras extensively documenting their efforts was part of a group that flew in from Hawaii to look for his daughter Ryan Kobayashi subsequently died by suicide on 24 November near the Los Angeles airport Police determined Hannah Kobayashi had walked into Mexico at the San Ysidro border crossing about 125 miles south-east of Los Angeles on 12 November, a day after her family reported her missing. Investigators made that determination after reviewing security video from US Customs and Border Protection, and on 11 December they announced that Kobayashi had been found and accounted for. The Los Angeles police chief, Jim McDonnell, added that Kobayashi had expressed on social media posts a desire “to disconnect from modern connectivity”. Read moreA statement from Kobayashi’s mother and sister thanked the family’s supporters and expressed gratitude for her being located and we kindly ask for privacy as we take the time to heal and process everything we have been through,” that statement also said In her new statement, Hannah Kobayashi explained that she returned to the US from Mexico on Sunday morning but did not elaborate on her experience. Her attorney told Hawaii News Now that he had accompanied her as she came back to the US from Mexico and could “verify she is safe” “I was unaware of everything that was happening in the media,” Hannah Kobayashi’s statement also said “I am deeply grateful to my family and everyone who has shown me compassion during this time.” LOS ANGELES − Hannah Kobayashi, the Maui woman who went missing in Los Angeles in November Douglas Oldfield told USA TODAY in an email Monday afternoon that the department received a notification that Kobayashi had returned to the United States Sunday and that law enforcement to be in good health and did not appear to be under any distress." Oldfield added that Kobayashi's case has been closed 'I am still processing it all': Hannah Kobayashi issues first statement after returning to US said in the statement provided to USA TODAY that he met Kobayashi in Mexico and accompanied the 30-year-old as her attorney across the border and that she is safe "Hannah is deeply grateful to her family and all those who have supported her with kindness and compassion," the statement read "Hannah would appreciate respect for herself and her loved ones during this challenging time." Kobayashi had been presumed missing after missing a flight on Nov 8 while traveling from Hawaii to New York City at Los Angeles International Airport Kobayashi stopped contacting her family on Nov 11 after what relatives called a string of out-of-character text messages that included mentions of not feeling safe and of someone attempting to steal her identity and money During the search, Kobayashi's father, Ryan Kobayashi, 58, died by suicide near LAX Kari said Hannah knows about her father's death Members of the Kobayashi family represented by Los Angeles lawyer Sara Azari announced that Hannah had been found Wednesday USA TODAY reached out to Azari Monday afternoon who said that her clients did not have a statement on Hannah's return at the time Larie Pidgeon split with other members of the family she said in a statement previously provided to USA TODAY Pidgeon is seen hugging Kobayashi in a handout photo provided to USA TODAY by Kari after she returned to the U.S Pidgeon said Monday that her focus remained on Kobayashi's safety and well-being "My family's journey is their own as well, but I've chosen to follow a purpose and doing what's right for the entire process," Pidgeon wrote, referencing critical comments made by Kobayashi's sister, Sydni Kobayashi, who sad she and Kobayashi's mother did not approve of Pidgeon becoming the "self-appointed point of contact for the media." "The negativity and hostility directed toward me won't change that," Pidgeon said a year in which he also claimed a magnificent third Four Hills triumph out of the four previous editions the 2024-25 campaign has not been so kind to the man from Hachimantai who sits 11th in the World Cup heading into the Nordic Ski World Championships but I’m struggling with my performance this year.” Kobayashi Ryoyu: Top facts you might not know about Japan's ski jumping starDid you know that the Olympic champion collects sneakers and was included in the Forbes Japan 30 Under 30 list? Find out more interesting facts about the Japanese ski jumper. Kobayashi’s place outside the World Cup’s top 10 overall jumpers is not a situation he is accustomed to – he has not finished a season that low since 2018 – but that does not mean he is oblivious to what is required to win. The Sapporo native was sure to capitalise on home advantage earlier this month, recording his first two victories of the campaign on the large hill in Hokkaido. One of the most crucial factors for the Japanese national record holder is how he mentally analyses his jump before he attempts it. Be that how he carefully bends his knees, how much weight he decides to use to lean forward, or how he forcefully engages his core during flight, every millisecond is vital. “It’s essential to have good visualisation and equipment,” Kobayashi explains of the key to achieving victory on the hills. “However, having good visualisation is difficult at the moment. This is also related to the mental side. If I had that, I would keep winning.” The Japanese jumper is clear: his mental preparations are as fundamental to his success as what he does for his body. He knows that the sooner he can fine tune his mind, he will be able to return to the top step of the podium. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Viessmann FIS Ski Jumping World Cup (@fisskijumping) double Olympic medallist and World Cup maestro it is under no illusion that Kobayashi is an influential figure back home He took up ski jumping aged nine, inspired by home legend and three-time Olympic medallist Kasai Noriaki “It was simply fun when I was in elementary and secondary school,” he details of the origins of his passion “but right now is the most fun I’m having in the sport.” He has 125 million Japanese people behind him The retired ski jumper said at the World Cup in Sapporo "It's because of Ryoyu that everyone is wanting to catch up to him and win in order for the Japanese team to get stronger so I want him to continue to lead the team.” Kobayashi continues to be the frontrunner for Japan’s hopes in ski jumping spurred on with the backing of a nation – above all 2024The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner has determined a manner and cause of death for Ryan Kobayashi the father of a woman missing in Los Angeles.LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Ryan Kobayashi the father of a Hawaii woman who is missing in Los Angeles the county coroner's office confirmed Monday Kobayashi's body was found early Sunday morning near Los Angeles International Airport The 58-year-old had flown to Los Angeles earlier this month to help in the search for his missing daughter The Los Angeles Police Department told ABC News that Ryan Kobayashi's body was found Sunday around 4 a.m the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner issued its finding listing the manner of death as suicide and the cause as multiple blunt force traumatic injuries A GoFundMe has been established to help Kobayashi's fiancee A note on the page from his niece reads in part: "He has been living his absolute worst nightmare our family is grappling with unimaginable grief Ryan's love for his family was boundless and he would do anything to protect and care for his daughters." Timeline of Hannah Kobayashi's disappearance Hannah Kobayashi went missing sometime after a stopover at Los Angeles International Airport as she was traveling from Hawaii to New York City on Nov she was spotted in some online videos and sent cryptic text messages to family members If you are experiencing suicidal, substance use or other mental health crises please call or text the three digit code at 988. You will reach a trained crisis counselor for free, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also go to 988lifeline.org or dial the current toll free number 800-273-8255 [TALK] Three weeks after a Hawaii woman vanished in Los Angeles her family is vowing to continue the search into the puzzling disappearance amid unsettling text messages 11 after she had missed a connecting flight from Maui to New York City at Los Angeles International Airport on Nov On Nov. 24, her father, who had been trying to find his daughter, was found dead near the LA airport by apparent suicide Surveillance videos have shown her at a mall and train station in Los Angeles and odd messages and online payments since then have only added to the mystery behind her disappearance LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said police determined Kobayashi intentionally missed her flight “Our hearts go out to the Kobayashi family during this unimaginable time of grief,” McDonnell said in a Los Angeles Board of Police Commissioners meeting “We remain fully committed to locating Hannah and supporting the family as they navigate their way through this tragedy.” LAPD didn't return USA TODAY's request for further updates on the investigation on Friday USA TODAY also reached out to an organization representing the family Kobayashi is described as 5 feet, 10 inches tall, weighing about 140 pounds, according to an LAPD description hazel eyes and freckles on her face and normally wears glasses She has a tattoo of a heart with a knife on her right forearm Friends described her as creative and entrepreneurial, and as an aspiring photographer, CNN reported She was planning to go to New York to visit an aunt and she was also going to take photos at a concert in Brooklyn in mid-November Kobayashi was on the same New York-bound flight as her ex-boyfriend. They kept the tickets because they couldn’t get a refund and planned to go their separate ways after landing in New York, Kobayashi’s sister told the Los Angeles Times.  CNN reported the ex-boyfriend made the connecting flight the LA Times reported Kobayashi went to a bookstore at The Grove shopping mall Her aunt told the newspaper she sent a photo of a book to a relative family later went to that bookstore and confirmed she had been there and that she filled out a newsletter form She also sent two payments on Venmo to two people her family didn’t recognize Police have said she remained active on Instagram On Nov. 10, she was identified in a promotional video for a LeBron James Nike event at The Grove. She also posted a photo of the event on her Instagram The family began receiving concerning text messages after Kobayashi missed her flight The messages were out of character from Kobayashi These included odd phrases and a lack of emojis She texted that someone sought to steal her money and identity CNN reported she wrote she was “tricked” into giving away all her funds “For someone I thought I loved,” a follow-up message said CBS reported one of her messages said she had finished a “very intense spiritual awakening” and said she was headed back to the airport but that she “might need some help getting there.” The last day her family made contact with her was Nov. 11. In screenshots of text messages shared with USA TODAY Kobayashi said she was on her way to the airport "I have a safe passage" and "Will keep you posted," she said surveillance cameras showed Kobayashi at LAX but she never boarded a flight Her phone was last turned on at LAX around then CCTV footage captured Kobayashi in downtown LA She was at the Pico Metro light-rail station On Nov. 12, Kobayashi’s family said they filed a missing person report. The LAPD announced her as a missing person on Nov. 15 The search for Kobayashi has garnered widespread attention online and in Los Angeles, and volunteers have organized groups to search the streets for her Ryan had been searching for nearly two weeks for his daughter around Los Angeles The family confirmed he had died by suicide said preliminary findings indicate it was a suicide Pidgeon told USA TODAY that recent weeks were already difficult before learning about her brother-in-law's sudden death "He just died of a broken heart," Pidgeon said "Being on the streets and seeing what the possibilities of where his daughter could be The speculating rumors that are going around Anyone with information on Kobayashi's whereabouts is asked to call Los Angeles police at 1-877-527-3247 or The Rad Movement at 619-904-0840 Contributing: Anthony Robledo and James Powel (This story was updated to add new information.) Labor Day marked the end of the longtime rivalry between competitive eaters Joey Chestnut and Takeru Kobayashi after the American smoked his Japanese nemesis during their first head-to-head contest in 15 years During the live Netflix event billed as "Chestnut vs Kobayashi: Unfinished Beef," Chestnut inhaled 83 hot dogs in 10 minutes to win the $100,000 grand prize while Kobayashi consumed 66 in what he said would be his final competition Chestnut's victory at Las Vegas' Luxor Hotel & Casino Monday will also go down as a world record after the 40-year-old beat his own personal best of 76 hot dogs in 10 minutes "I was trying to get 80 hot dogs for years I was never able to do it," Chestnut told the event's co-host Rob Riggle after being given his winning belt and hot dog trophy but I love the way we push each other to be our best." "I feel like I did everything I could," Kobayashi said through a translator to the other co-host RELATED STORY | Beef with the champ: Joey Chestnut 'gutted' to hear of exclusion from famed hot dog eating contest the last time the pair matched up was in 2009 when Kobayashi's 64.5 hot dogs came second to Chestnut's 68 in 10 minutes at Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island In interviews that aired before their match-up Chestnut said Kobayashi was "an amazing champion until he started losing" and called his competitor's jaw arthritis issue a lie likening it to another "excuse" his opponent used to justify a loss Chestnut called Kobayashi his "fiercest rival" who pushed him to be "so much better," and said he couldn't wait to "give the people what they want" with another chapter in their rivalry Kobayashi said he was "really upset" when he heard Chestnut calling his jaw injury fake and said his opponent needed to be more respectful And although he recently revealed plans to retire from competitive eating in Netflix's "Hack Your Health: The Secrets of Your Gut," he said he wanted to return to the eating stage to face Chestnut to "kick his ass," saying it was the first time that his personal feelings were involved in a match "Retiring for me will only happen after I take him down one last time," Kobayashi said when the Labor Day competition was announced "This rivalry has been brewing for a long time Competing against Joey live on Netflix means fans all over the world can watch me knock him out." RELATED STORY | Hot dog champ Chestnut to face former rival Kobayashi in Netflix special The Netflix event had different rules than the typical competition the pair were used to including no dunking hot dogs in water and no separating the bread from the weiners Chestnut said he was surprisingly okay with the switch in the dunking rule and would adopt it as a habit in future competitions Other competitive eaters were also in Las Vegas Monday to compete in pre-main event contests with competitive eater Matt Stonie defeating Olympic swimmers Ryan Lochte and Ryan Murphy and Olympic water polo player Max Irving in a chicken wing-eating contest And another world record was set with the amount of watermelon 24-time Guiness World Record holder Leah Shutkever downed in a minute After Hannah Kobayashi was found safe in Mexico amid her missing person case Los Angeles police explained why they may never get conclusive answers about her disappearance Details surrounding Hannah Kobayashi’s missing persons case may never come to light While the 31-year-old’s family confirmed they made contact with her following her Nov local authorities said they don’t plan to investigate the matter further “We have not seen her and at this point we have no reason to compel her to see us,” Lt. Doug Oldfield of the Los Angeles Police Department’s missing persons unit told People Dec Oldfield noted that while authorities were told the Hawaii native—who was declared missing after she didn’t make it to her connecting flight from L.A the family’s attorney did not elaborate on where exactly she was found or how the family got in touch with her “We’ll see what happens next,” Oldfield added Earlier in the day, Kobayashi’s family released a statement confirming they had successfully made contact with her, one week after the LAPD declared her a “voluntarily missing person.” “We are incredibly relieved and grateful that Hannah has been found safe,” Hannah’s sister Sydni Kobayashi and mom Brandi Yee said in the statement given to NBC News and we kindly ask for privacy as we take the time to heal and process everything we have been through.” They also acknowledged the outpouring of public support they received as the case unfolded “We want to express our heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported us during this difficult time,” the family added “Your kindness and concern have meant the world to us.” For a recap of Hannah’s missing persons case And now, she's focusing on the future 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."