Paralympian Sam Ruddock, a 35 year old from Warwickshire who has competed in cycling and shot put, has been reported missing in Las Vegas. He was last heard from over a week ago.
His friend Lucy Earl, who has known him for over a decade, said he travelled to the US on April 13 with plans to attend WrestleMania. Mr Ruddock, who has cerebral palsy, was last in contact on April 16 and has since been reported missing to both UK and US police.
Mrs Earl, who hosted him the night before his flight, said she contacted the police and located the hostel he was staying at, only to find out that Mr Ruddock had not checked out as scheduled or collected his belongings. Describing him as a “big character with lots of energy”, she noted his usually active social media presence and passion for sports.
She said: “Sam is very very present on social media, he’s such a passionate person about sports.” She added: “He’s such an infectious person. He’s a phenomenal human being.”
Mrs Earl confirmed that he landed in Vegas on the 13th but went silent from the 16th, which raised concerns due to his significant social media presence. She has reported Mr Ruddock missing and launched a social media campaign to gather information.
A spokesperson for British Cycling stated: “British Cycling understands that para-cyclist Sam Ruddock was reported missing to UK and US police and Interpol after not being heard from since Wednesday April 16 2025, while visiting Las Vegas, USA.”
The organisation urged anyone who has been in contact with Mr Ruddock since April 16 or may have any information regarding his whereabouts to contact their local police department as soon as possible. Lincolnshire Police confirmed it has launched a missing person investigation for Mr Ruddock.
A spokesperson for the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office added: “We are supporting the family of a British man reported missing in Las Vegas and are in contact with the local authorities.”
