Mother of missing Irish man in Wyoming continues search to find her son's remains

Dublin man Cian McLaughlin was hiking in the Grand Teton national park near Jackson, Wyoming, when he went missing. Picture: Teton County Sheriff

The family of a 27-year-old Dublin man who went missing in Wyoming last June is continuing the search in a bid to return his remains to Ireland.

Cian McLaughlin was hiking in the Grand Teton national park on June 8 when we went missing. 

His mother Grainne McLaughlin told RTÉ that her son had been living in the area for the past two years and that he had dual Irish/US citizenship.

“Cian was an outgoing guy who loved the outdoors,” she said, adding that he worked as a snowboard instructor during the winter and as a barman during the summers. 

Her son would always stop and chat to people and was loved by all his friends. “He was living his life.”

Ms McLauglin said Cian was “well versed in the mountains” having grown up going on walks with her and other family members, and knew the importance of gear and equipment. 

The family believes he was on a day hike and went off-trail and, because of the melting snow, it would have been a “tricky time of year”.

The family arrived in the area on June 17 and within two days were told that it was a recovery operation. 

“I went through a huge amount of grief at that time. That was really hard,” she said.

This is not a rescue, it is a recovery, but I'd like to bring him home. I know he is up there somewhere. 

"I am thinking of Cian at every moment and trying to connect with him and my hope is to bring him home, to have some resolution and bring him home," Ms McLauglin said.

The family has launched a major social media campaign using the hashtag #FindCian.

His uncle, Colm O'Higgins, told RTÉ that they are appealing to the public for information adding that given how sociable and chatty Cian was, the family is certain he would have talked to someone that day who might remember him on the trail.

“Our appeal is to anybody who was in the park around June 8 and who may have taken photos," Mr O'Higgins said. 

"We are asking them to have a look at their pictures and see if there is somebody in the background. They can share them with us at [e-mail] or the park rangers.”

A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help the McLaughlin family. Picture: GoFundMe

Grand Teton National Park chief ranger Erika Jostad said that the search for Cian would not end until he was found.

At the time he went missing 70 searchers were involved along with search dogs and aircraft and infrared imaging to narrow down the area to search.

“The search won’t end until we find him,” Ms Jodrad said.

Tactics shift over time. We are coming towards winter and we expect the snow to fall. That will make some of the clues we are looking for a little more difficult to find.

The Dublin man is described as being six feet tall, of slim build, with dark brown, collar-length hair, facial hair and brown eyes. He also has a tattoo on his left forearm.

He was last seen wearing round, wire-rimmed sunglasses, a bucket hat, a white short sleeve t-shirt, and shorts. He was not carrying a backpack.

The GoFundMe campaign set up to help the McLaughlin family with the cost of travel, accommodation, and any contingencies, has raised more than €48,000 of its €50,000 goal to date.

Anyone with information who may have seen Mr McLaughlin is asked to contact Teton County at 888-653-000, submit a tip or email: [e-mail].