Missing N.Y. student Kenny DeLand safe in Spain two weeks after disappearing in France

A New York college student who disappeared while studying in France has been found alive in Spain.

The family of Kenny DeLand, 22, announced the news Friday via the Find Ken DeLand site they established after he went missing.

“We are so happy to announce that Kenny is safe; we received a call from Kenny in the early morning hours on December 16, 2022,” read the statement.

“Kenny is in Spain, and Carol (his mom) is in France, preparing to see Kenny and hopefully bring him home for Christmas,” the family continued.

Noting DeLand saw “himself in the news and reached out to us,” his family thanked the media for publicizing his disappearance. He also expressed gratitude to the FBI, Congresswoman Claudia Tenney and Senator Pamela Helming.

“We also want to extend our love and appreciation to our fantastic community for rallying together,” said the family. “Without everyone’s help, we wouldn’t have our Son, hopefully, home Christmas.”

Prior to his reappearance, DeLand’s parents last heard from him on WhatsApp on Nov. 27 just before he departed his host family and took a train toward Valence, about 3 miles outside of Paris.

Though other students said they saw him in class the following day, they didn’t see DeLand on Nov. 29. No one could make contact with him and he was reported missing that day.

“The young man reportedly told several people that he had arrived in France underprepared and was having difficulty making friends,” Grenoble prosecutor Eric Vaillant told CNN Monday.

DeLand was also spotted Dec. 3 on security footage captured in Montélimar, about 30 miles south of Valence.