Houston Family Remains Hopeful For Return Of Son Missing In Syria

HOUSTON, TX — The parents of a journalist who disappeared in Syria in 2012 remain hopeful that the former Marine officer may still be alive.

Austin Tice, an award-winning journalist, was in Damascus covering the Syrian civil war when he vanished and joined the list of journalist who’ve either been abducted or killed while covering the war.

Austin was leaving Syria in August 2012 and had filed his final news story when he was abducted. (Want to get daily updates about traffic news and other events going on in your area? Sign up for the free Houston Patch morning newsletter.)

According to his family’s webpage, a short video emerged five weeks after Austin disappeared that showed him with a group of men, with the title, “Austin Tice Is Alive.”

There was no other message with the short video, and and there have been no messages since.

Tice’s parents, Marc and Debra Tice of Houston, spoke with Matt Lauer from the NBC Today Show on Wednesday and asked if the U.S. State Department indicated if they knew if their son was alive.

“Yes,” Debra Tice said.

The Tice’s have held onto that hope to bring their son home after appealing to President Barack Obama, KPRC reported.

Two years ago, the Tice’s launched a social media campaign #FreeAustinTice, which included the Free Austin Tice NOW Facebook page, to raise awareness about his disappearance.

Recently the Trump Administration announced that efforts were underway to find Austin and return him home.

Learn more about Austin Tice here.

Image: Austin Tice Family

Follow Us On Facebook: Engage with your neighbors in the Metro Houston area and keep up with the talk of the day by liking one of our Facebook pages. Houston / Midtown Houston / Houston Heights / Galleria - River Oaks / Bellaire / Meyerland / Humble-Kingwood / Conroe-Montgomery County / Sugar Land / Pasadena / The Woodlands / Clear Lake