Mum of hiker found dead abroad shares emotional message to Jay Slater's family

The mum of a hiker who was found dead abroad after going missing has shared an emotional message to Jay Slater's family.

Carole Roche's son Aidan was discovered dead two months after he went missing during a solo hike in the Alps in June of last year. Similar to Jay's situation, the authorities initiated a search for the missing Brit, while his family and friends issued desperate pleas for his safe return. They also managed to raise over £31,000 through a GoFundMe page.

Carole lent her support to Jay Slayer's family and donated £50 to the fund to help find the 19-year-old lad who vanished in Tenerife last Monday, the Mirror reports.

She told Jay's family: "My hopes, prayers and positive thoughts are with all the family. I went through this exact same situation last year and can honestly say I know what you're going through. It's a mind-numbing thing, but take comfort in all the help and support to get your son found."

Jay Slater, from Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, has been missing on the holiday island since Monday, June 17. He was last seen by the owner of an Airbnb, and it is believed he missed the bus to meet friends in the south of the island, a popular area for British tourists.

His last known location was traced to Rural del Teno, a mountainous region in the west of the island, with the nearest town being Santiago del Teide. Jay had been staying in the south with friends. One of his friends, Lucy Law, informed the police that she received a call from Jay at 8:30 a.m. He said he was lost in the mountains, unaware of his surroundings, desperately needed a drink, and his phone was at 1% battery.

Shortly before disappearing, Jay had been messaging friends on Snapchat, appearing to be in a normal and stable state of mind. His phone died around 8:50 a.m., with his last known location recorded near a hiking trail, several hundred feet above the village of Masca.

His family and friends have set up a GoFundMe page, which has now raised over £35,000.

Aidan Roche, an experienced 29-year-old hiker from Middlesbrough, went missing during a solo hike in the Alps last year. He worked as an offshore chemical engineer, alternating three weeks abroad with three weeks off, which he spent hiking and enjoying the outdoors. His brother Niall told the Mirror that hiking was Aidan's passion and he was fully equipped for it.

Like Jay, Aidan had contacted friends in the hours before he went missing. He had arranged to meet a friend for a pint at the campsite after his day's trek. In a text sent at 1:07 p.m., accompanied by a photo, Aidan said, "Hello, hello, I should be in Grindelwald in about two hours. I'm still pretty high, I'll see you back at camp."

When Aidan didn't show up, his friend texted him at 9:20 p.m., saying, "Did you climb the whole Eiger? I [am] going to sleep early. Your toothbrush is under the back tire." Friends and family began to worry after not hearing from Aidan for a few days, as he usually kept everyone updated on his activities.

They managed to trace the last photo he sent to a ravine near Stollen.After Aidan was found by police in September, his brother Connor, 32, said: "We received the news last week that the police in Switzerland had found Aidan near the trail he was walking. The news has hit us all hard, even with this outcome on our minds over the last few months.

"On behalf of my entire family, I want to say a massive thank you to everyone who helped us through all of this. The outpouring of support from so many people has got us through all of the uncertainty and anguish and shows just how loved Aidan was. For all the messages of support, the sharing of Aidan's pictures and posters online, and the donations to aid in finding him, you have our deepest gratitude. All of this helped to bring him home to us. Thank you so much."

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