Ian Treger, 29, has been found dead in Peru, according to a statement from his family last Tuesday night.
Treger, who grew up in Effinger and graduated from Washington and Lee University in 2020, had been missing in Peru since May 13.
“Ian loved discovering new countries through their songs and traditions as much as their landscapes,” Treger’s family said in the statement. “Through all of it, he kept the same quick wit and easy smile that could turn any moment lighter, and that made him so loved by everyone who knew him.”
Michelle Ludwig, Treger’s mother, said in an interview last month he was an experienced hiker.
Treger had been traveling throughout South America and teaching English classes. He decided to visit Peru after he finished teaching at Ecuador’s Galápagos Language Academy in late April.
Before he went missing, he told Ludwig he was planning to hike to Choquequirao Archaeological Park. In last month’s interview with The News-Gazette, Ludwig said Treger may have decided to hike Ausangate Mountain instead of Choquequirao.
Family friend Donna Welch said this week that Treger’s body was found at Ausangate, in the Pitumarca District.
Two divisions of the Peruvian national police, as well as the U.S. Embassy in Lima and private guides hired by Ludwig, helped with the search. In the press statement, Treger’s family said they “want to extend our deepest gratitude to the U.S. and Peruvian authorities who worked tirelessly on this search, as well as to the volunteers who gave their time, energy, and compassion in the effort to bring Ian home.”
Treger is the son of Ludwig and Neil Treger, a 1979 Washington and Lee graduate. His sister is Sarah Treger. In a statement signed by Ludwig, Neil Treger and Sarah Treger, his family has requested privacy and time to grieve.
“Our hearts are broken, and we are still absorbing this devastating loss,” they said.
In a separate statement, Ludwig thanked the people in Peru who showed her kindness while she searched for her son.
“I am deeply grateful to the people in Cusco who have treated me with loving tenderness and have given their time to help with whatever I needed,” she said. “They knew what I needed even when I didn’t.”
