Body Found in Rome Believed to Be Missing American Student
— -- A body that was found in the Tiber River today is thought to be Beau Solomon, a 19-year-old University of Wisconsin student who was on his first day studying abroad in Rome and had gone missing.
A spokesman for the John Cabot University, where he was a student, said in a statement on their website, "John Cabot University is deeply saddened to announce that the body of Beau Solomon, the missing American visiting student, has been found in the Tiber River."
"We express our most heartfelt condolences to the Solomon family and to all those who loved Beau," the statement added.
Police have not yet confirmed his death because no identification was found on the body and Solomon's parents have not yet identified him.
He was last seen late Thursday night at a bar with a group of classmates and was expected to attend a study abroad orientation meeting on Friday morning, according to ABC affiliate WKOW-TV in Madison, Wisconsin, but never showed up.
His roommate notified University officials that he was missing. Later that morning, it was discovered that his credit card had been stolen. Family members told WKOW that the card had more than $1,500 in additional charges.
His brother, Cole Solomon, told WKOW that it was unlike his brother to go missing.
"He's the most responsible kid ever," Solomon said. "This is just so uncharacteristic of Beau."
Beau was a cancer survivor and model student who was set to graduate college in only three years, according to family.
"He had over 15 to 20 procedures growing up throughout his life and was able to overcome all of that and still became a phenomenal high school athlete," Solomon explained, regarding his brother's battles with cancer as a child.
Beau's parents left for Italy Sunday afternoon to look for their missing son, a day before news of his death was reported.
