Large group of volunteers join search for Charleston man missing in Mexico

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – It has been more than a week since a 66-year-old Charleston man, Brad Soloman, went missing while on a cruise in Cozumel.

Family members say the search is ongoing for Soloman, who was recently diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, a type of degenerative disorder that affects a person’s behavior, rather than memory.

“We were on a cruise last week in Mexico. Me and husband, Brad and his wife, my sister, Mimi,” said Ashley Hyer, Soloman’s sister-in-law.

After shopping at the Port of Cozumel, Brad and his wife went to use the restroom. When his wife came out of the women’s bathroom, she never saw Brad walk out. He was missing.

“We spread out and started looking everywhere and trying to find WiFi, because he has an AirTag on, to be able to track where he was,” Hyer explained.

Solomon, 66, has the same disease as actor Bruce Willis, which can impact the mind.

The family received a couple of pings from the AirTag, but it has gone silent since then.  

“Over the last few days, Brad has a cousin that has organized a big volunteer group. It’s an amazing group of people; locals, ex-pats and even people that are vacationing who have seen the story and want to come help So, there’s over 100 volunteers as of last night,” said Hyer.

Hyer added, “The military has been looking- they sent people over yesterday. Sent some dogs over yesterday, currently my family members and my husband are out on ATVs looking in some remote areas.”

She said prayers mean a lot for their family as they search for their loved one. “I mean the family could use all the prayer that we can get. It’s a horrible thing to go through. It’s very stressful to have a family member lost for 10 days now,” she said.