Elijah Hoard, brother of basketball player Jaylen Hoard, has been found safe after being reported missing in Chicago since Friday.
The news was announced by Hoard’s sister, Anaïa, who shared, “We have found my brother Elijah and he is safe.” Elijah Hoard had been missing since Friday after arriving at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, where he was scheduled to fly back to France following a ten-day visit to Illinois.
The family of the ASVEL training center graduate had alerted authorities and used social media to seek assistance in locating him. His father, Antwon Hoard, previously revealed that his son had experienced a change in mood in the days leading up to his disappearance. “Everything seemed normal for the first eight days, but in the last two days, his mood completely changed. He was adamant: he didn’t want to return,” he said, adding that Elijah has struggled with mental health issues.
Victor Wembanyama “very, very relieved”
After several days of searching, Elijah Hoard was located. “We are extremely relieved. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you to everyone who shared the information around the world, those who inquired and supported us during this difficult time,” Anaïa Hoard announced on Instagram. “We also sincerely thank the Chicago police and the French consulate in Chicago for their attention and help.”
San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama, who has a close relationship with the Hoard family, also addressed the situation after the Spurs’ victory in Philadelphia. “He was found about an hour ago. I’m so happy, we’ve been close for a long time, our families and mine. You always think these things only happen to others. It was the first time I’ve seen something like this happen to someone close to me, I’m very, very relieved he was found,” Wembanyama told reporters. The relief is palpable for Wembanyama and the basketball community as they can now focus on the remainder of the NBA season.
