Mark Dombroski is missing in Bermuda. The 19-year-old was last seen at midnight on March 18 at the Dog House Bar in the capital city of Hamilton, according to a Facebook statement from the Bermudan Rugby Union. The statement says that Dombroski, who is a student at St. Joseph's College in Pennsylvania, was in the country to play in a rugby sevens tournament. He had been due to return to the U.S. with his teammates on March 18. The Associated Press reported at 4:20 p.m. on March 19 that police in Bermuda had found a body in relation to the search. A few minutes later, the Royal Gazette in Bermuda reported that the body has been identified as being that of Mark Dombroski. A police spokesman quoted in the Gazette story said, "The search unfortunately has come to an end."
When he was last seen, Dombroski was wearing a green t-shirt, khaki pants and black shoes. He is around six feet tall with short blonde hair. The Bermuda Rugby Union is offering an award of $1,000 for any information that leads to his return. ABC Philadelphia reports that surveillance video caught Dombroski walking alone on Front Street in Hamilton just after 1 a.m. The missing student was using his cellphone at the time. Investigators have said that Dombroski was walking the opposite direction to where he was supposed to be staying.
Along with St. Joseph's, students from Notre Dame, Ohio State and Ithaca College were also participating in the Ariel Re Bermuda International 7’s Tournament. According to his official profile at the St. Joseph's Hawks website, Dombroski played in all three of this team's games during the tournament. Bermuda News reports that Dombroski's parents have been on the island since March 15 to watch one of his games.
Bermuda Police Service.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that Dombroski is a 2017 graduate of Archmore Academy, a private Catholic prep school in Claymont, Delaware. A prayer service will be held in Dombroski's honor at the Nativity of Blessed Virgin in Media at 7:30 p.m. on March 19. In a press conference held on March 19, Dombroski's mother, Lisa, told the media, "We deeply love our son. We cherish our son. We love him dearly. We want him back." Lisa Dombroski added, "My son is a freshman as St Joseph University. It would be a wonderful thing if on St Joseph’s Feast Day God please would reunite us with our wonderful son."
His mother also said that she had seen the surveillance footage of her son and said that he appeared to have an injured shoulder. Lisa Dombroski added, "He wasn't in a celebratory kind of mood. He wanted to get back." NBC Philadelphia reports that police in Bermuda do not believe that Dombroski was drunk or that alcohol is involved in his disappearance.
The missing man's parents have been joined by their other sons, Kevin and John, in the search.
Authorities said among the areas being checked extensively in Hamilton are the harbor area, as well as Crow Lane and East Broadway.
The Delco Times reported in 2016 that Dombroski had been a starter in his team's victory at the Open Division Penn Mutual High School Rugby National Cup. Dombroski's exploits in little league when he was 12 years old were also covered by the media in 2011.
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