Massachusetts husband missing in South Carolina after he vanished from Hilton Head family vacation
A Massachusetts man is missing after he vanished from a family vacation in Hilton Head, South Carolina.
The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) on Thursday said authorities are still looking for Stanley Kotowski, 60, of Methuen, Massachusetts, who was last seen leaving S. Sea Pines Drive around 10:30 a.m. on Aug. 16.
“Over the last month, he has been struggling with severe insomnia and has become increasingly anxious,” his wife Jackie wrote on Facebook. “During the week of Aug. 19, Stan became paranoid, thinking that people, including authorities, were pursuing him.”
She said that Kotowski was anxious about the ocean due to “exposure to the sun, jellyfish and sharks.”
Kotowski was wearing a Coors Light shirt, dark gray shorts and no shoes when he left the area, according to the sheriff’s office.
His family is asking Hilton Head-area residents who may have seen Kotowski to contact authorities and look through their security camera footage for any potential sightings of the missing man.
They are also asking home and business owners to check sheds, pools or other secluded areas for any signs of Kotowski.
“If you encounter someone you believe to be Stan, please immediately take a picture, contact BCSO and try to keep him in your sights,” his family wrote. “If you say anything, calmly let him know that he is safe, and that his wife (Jackie) is still here, his sons are here and looking for him.”
The family added that the sheriff’s office has been very supportive and “are doing everything in their power to bring Stan home,” including conducting both land and water searches.
Locals apparently saw Kotowski at The Salty Dog on Aug. 16, and authorities have requested footage from the restaurant. Video footage from the business appears to show Kotowski just before 10 a.m., and while he does not appear to be in a rush, he “is rather sauntering,” according to his wife’s Facebook post.
The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Coast Guard are involved in the search for Kotowski, his family said.
Kotowski is described as 6 ft. tall, weighing about 200 lbs. He has a strong Boston accent and may have facial hair.
