“IF THERE IS A NEXT LIFE, PLEASE CONTINUE TO BE MY SON…” 😭💔 These tearful messages for James “Weston” Higginbotham brought hundreds of people to tears as they bid farewell to the young student after the tragedy that occurred during a family trip to Japan 👀 👇 But it was the handwritten note placed next to Weston’s portrait that truly broke everyone’s hearts

Hundreds Pack Emotional Funeral of College Student Found Dead on Family Vacation in Japan

James ‘Weston’ Higginbotham was found dead on June 6 after he disappeared while traveling

James “Weston” Higginbotham’s family held a funeral for the late college student on June 17
He was found dead on June 6 after going missing in May while on a family trip to Japan
The Auburn University student’s death garnered international attention after he separated from his family during their vacation

The family of James “Weston” Higginbotham honored his enduring legacy as he was laid to rest weeks after he disappeared and was later found dead while on a family trip to Japan.

Loved ones gathered on Wednesday, June 17, to celebrate the life of the 20-year-old Auburn University student at Asbury United Methodist Church in Birmingham, Ala., his mother, Nancy Higginbotham, shared.

The funeral follows Weston’s death while on a celebratory family vacation. Weston was visiting Japan to mark his younger brother’s high school graduation when he went missing for a week in Kyoto.

An audience of hundreds filled the pews as friends and loved ones remembered Weston as a prodigious young man — gifted both as an athlete and as a student, adventurous and so open-hearted for the world that he could be hurt when he saw others didn’t feel the same.

Weston Higginbotham’s friends become emotional as they remember him at his funeral service.Asbury Bham/YouTube

“Weston had a way of making everyone feel included,” said Eddie Higginbotham, Weston’s cousin. He described the late college student as “easy to smile with, easy to laugh with, and always ready for something new, unexpected and maybe a little weird.”

At the beginning of the service, Reverend Mike Holly said Weston “impacted everyone who knew him,” adding, “He had a charismatic smile and an adventurous spirit, and a deep love for this Earth.”

Lauren Higgenbotham, another cousin, said the most admirable part of Weston was the person he was behind all of his life accomplishments.

“Weston put what he loved into action through discipline and activism, supported by his sweet, sweet spirit of kindness, approachability and adventure,” Lauren recalled.

Pastor Clay Farrington speaks about Weston Higginbotham’s empathetic personality.Asbury Bham/YouTube

Weston was also honored with a plaque by Olivia Williams, president of the Spain Park High School Class of 2024. On the plaque, the class remembered Weston as “a light in our lives.”

Later in the service, Rev. Clary Farrington of the First United Methodist Church of Alabaster spoke to “the gift and curse of empathy” as he reflected on Weston’s personality: “Weston cared, and I think sometimes maybe didn’t understand why others didn’t care as much,” he said.

Weston Higginbotham was honored with a plaque by his high school graduating class.Asbury Bham/YouTube

Weston was last seen on the night of Friday, May 29. Japanese authorities reviewed CCTV footage showing him exiting a train at Yamashina station, located about a five-minute ride outside of Kyoto.

“If you know Weston, you know what a great kid he is,” Nancy said in a joint video with her husband, Keith Higginbotham, released on June 2, when Weston remained missing. “He has a heart of gold, and we all want him to come back safely.”

Following a dedicated and extensive search, Nancy broke the news of Weston’s death on June 6.

“Our family is heartbroken to share that Weston was found deceased by a volunteer search-and-rescue group in a mountainous area outside of Kyoto,” she wrote in a social media statement. “The grief we feel is impossible to put into words.”

Local police have stated that no foul play is suspected in connection with Weston’s death, and his cause of death will not be disclosed.

Weston Higginbotham.nancy higginbotham/Facebook

In the days since the tragedy, Nancy has continued to celebrate her late son. On June 11, she shared a poignant tribute online, remembering how Weston “lit up every room with his charismatic smile.”

A junior studying Biosystems Engineering with a focus on sustainability, Weston balanced his coursework with competing for the university’s climbing and triathlon teams, working in the campus research department and volunteering with Engineers without Borders.

Nancy described her son as an environmentalist, music lover and proud vegan who possessed an “adventurous spirit.” He was even planning a trip to Bolivia in August to help oversee a water distribution project.

“He was passionate about protecting the environment and was dedicating his life to sustainability,” Nancy wrote on social media, adding that her son was a fearless traveler who loved to enrich himself in new cultures.

“People who met Weston loved him and he loved them right back,” Nancy wrote, describing him as a kind, inclusive and dedicated community member.

“If a friend, neighbor, or stranger needed a helping hand, he was the kind of person who showed up without hesitation,” she said.

Weston Higginbotham.nancy higginbotham/Facebook

The family recently returned home to the United States, and Nancy expressed immense gratitude for both their community at home and the global network that rallied to help them in Japan.

Weston is survived by his mother, his father, his younger brother, Grayton, and other extended family.

In lieu of flowers, the family asked for donations for the James “Weston” Higginbotham Endowed Scholarship for ecological engineering at Auburn.

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