The family of a Virginia teacher is urgently searching for answers after he disappeared while preparing for a multi-day trek in Peru.
Ian Thomas Treger, 29, was expected to finish his hike to Choquequirao Archeological Park around May 20. When his relatives were unable to reach him, their concern quickly grew.
His mother, Michelle Ludwig, initially believed the lack of contact could be due to unreliable cell service in the Andes, she told The News-Gazette.
Ludwig said she also considered the possibility that her son had changed course and gone to see Machu Picchu, Peru’s world-famous archaeological landmark.
‘I wasn’t too worried because he changes his plans a lot,’ she said, noting that Treger is an Eagle Scout with extensive experience in the outdoors.
His Instagram profile also reflects a life of frequent travel, with his most recent post placing him in Ecuador on April 16.
According to Ludwig, Treger headed to Peru after completing his teaching year at Ecuador’s Galápagos Language Academy.
She said he had been eager to take part in Jubilee Month, a month-long celebration held in Cusco, the historic city in the Peruvian Andes.
Ian Thomas Treger, 29, vanished while preparing for a multi-day hike in Peru. His family is now begging the public for answers after not hearing from him in weeks
His mother, Michelle Ludwig, said he traveled to Peru after wrapping up his teaching year at Ecuador’s Galápagos Language Academy
His distraught mother said she notified local authorities that Treger was missing on May 26, but an alert wasn’t issued by Peruo’s national police until June 11 – when she arrived to join in the search for her son.
‘I really thought something was happening, that they were looking for my son. But they weren’t,’ she told the outlet.
Two Peruvian police divisions, the High Mountain Rescue Police and the Missing Persons Divison have been assisting in the search for Treger, Ludwig said.
She has also hired private guides to help look for her child.
READ MORE: Parents Accused of Murder After Death of 255-Pound Son
‘It’s been a real challenge finding information,’ Ludwig stated.
A police alert has described Treger as 5’10”, white, with blond hair and blue eyes. He also has small tattoos that feature two pairs of whale sharks on his right calf.
Anyone with information on Treger has been urged to call the Peruvian authorities or Ludwig directly.
A police alert has described Treger as 5’10”, white, with blond hair and blue eyes. He also has small tattoos that feature two pairs of whale sharks on his right calf
She has also launched a GoFundMe to help raise money for her efforts.
‘Everyone who knows or has met Ian enjoys his sense of humor, appreciates his love of life, is fascinated by his many tales of travel, and will never forget his beautiful smile & bright blue eyes,’ she wrote.
As of Tuesday evening, more than $26,000 had been raised.
A local site at Collierstown Presbyterian Church is also collecting donations, per the outlet.
Treger grew up in Effinger, Virginia, where he was a Boy Scout and eventually became an Eagle Scout.
Treger grew up in Effinger, Virginia, where he was a Boy Scout and eventually became an Eagle Scout, his mothe said
He obtained a Wilderness First Aid certification while attending college at Washington and Lee, she told the publication.
During his senior year, he led one of the school’s Appalachian Adventure trips before graduating in 2020.
‘He loves the outdoors and prefers to be away from crowds and the destinations popular with tourists. He is as comfortable hiking with friends as he is adventuring alone,’ she added.
The Daily Mail contacted Peru’s High Mountain Rescue Police and the Missing Persons Division for comment.
