The body of a rugby league star who realised his dream by playing in the UK Super League has been found in bushland near his home in America over a year after he went missing.
Bryn Hargreaves played over 200 games for Wigan, Leigh Centurions, St Helens and Bradford Bulls over a near decade-long career. He announced his retirement in September 2012 before emigrating to the United States, but not before making it clear he was “angry” with his treatment at the end of his career.
He said he was “disillusioned by events off the field” adding that rugby league had chewed him up and spat him out.
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“We’re pieces of meat at the end of the day and we’re not treated with much respect in rugby league as it is,” Hargreaves said before packing up his life and moving abroad.
Having initially moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Hargreaves was living in West Virginia when he vanished in January last year. He was reported missing when he failed to arrive for work. He was 36 at the time.
His disappearance sparked a major search led by police and tracker dogs, according to reports, but the search was in vain until this week, with his older brother Gareth announcing that his body had been found in a Facebook post.
He wrote: “RIP Bryn Hargreaves. With incredible sadness I can confirm after 14 months we have finally found Bryn.
“We still do not know the cause of death or what actually happened on 3/1/22. Thanks to all those that have helped in the search.
“We would appreciate a little space and will keep you updated when we have any further information x.”
According to the Daily Mail, the body was found in woodland near Hargreaves’ home.
The Mail reports that the Monongalia County Sheriff’s office confirmed to them that detectives were sent to the woodlands near his house after a member of the public found a body.
The body was sent to the West Virginia State Medical Examiner’s Office for a post-mortem and positive identification.
The news was met with sadness by the rugby league world, with new Wests Tigers recruit John Bateman among those to send his condolences.
According to reports, Hargreaves’ disappearance came soon after he was involved in a car accident that caused him severe back pain and left him unable to drive.
His family suspected he had been abducted after he vanished, hiring a private investigator in an effort to find him.
Hargreaves’ mother Maria said she was “in bits” after news of her son’s death was confirmed.
She wrote: “I’m in bits #heartbroken my beautiful son Bryn i can’t think of any words to describe the pain xx.”
There has so far been no cause of death determined.
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