A British paralympian who has been missing in Las Vegas for over a week has been found safe.
Sam Ruddock, a track cyclist from Rugby, Warwickshire, travelled to the United States on 13 April to watch the WWE’s WrestleMania event. Loved ones began to worry after they last heard from him on 16 April.
He was reportedly staying at a hostel called the Bungalows in Las Vegas while he was hoping to see WrestleMania. He checked in on the 14th and was supposed to check out on the 15th, but had not checked out and had left his belongings.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department told The Independent that they received a missing person report for Mr Ruddock on 24 April and have managed to find him safe.
A spokesperson said: “A missing person report was filed on April 24, 2025. Through the course of the investigation, the individual has been located safe.”
Mr Ruddock’s mother, Fran Ruddock, and his close friend Lucy Hatton, a former athlete who lived with him in 2017, had appealed for help in finding him after he hadn’t been heard from since 16 April. Mr Ruddock, who lives with cerebral palsy, has a son who is two and a half years old.
Ms Hatton took to social media to express her joy over the news her friend was alive and safe. She told followers on social media: “Let’s get that boy home.”
She later told The Independent: “Sam is alive and well. Currently [we’re] working with authorities to get him home safely.
She added that “family and friends are so grateful to everyone for their love and support to help get Sam home” and confirmed “he’s physically okay”.
When Mr Ruddock first went missing, Ms Hatton said: “something just wasn’t right because Sam was someone who was so overwhelming on social media”.
“He’s the type of person who wants to share his passions and he loves sport”, she added, calling him a “tremendous human being.”
