» Family asks for help finding son who disappeared in Quebec

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MONTREAL — An Ontario family is asking the public for help in finding their 22-year-old son who disappeared while on a ski trip in Mont-Tremblant, Que., more than two months ago.

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Liam Toman went missing at about 3 a.m. on Feb. 2 after leaving a bar in the ski village north of Montreal after a night of dinner and drinks with friends.

His parents and stepmother say he was last seen on camera walking back towards his hotel, but there was no footage of him heading back inside. A last call and text were sent from his phone at around 3:15 a.m., and he has not used his bank account, social media or phone since then.

His mother, Kathleen Toman of Balsam Lake, Ont., said he’d been texting his parents throughout the evening and is normally in frequent communication with family and friends.

“He keeps in contact with us and tells us about his fun and what he’s doing,” she said in a phone interview. “This is not Liam’s nature to not text us.”

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His family have been looking for Toman since he disappeared, while Quebec provincial police have carried out searches by land, helicopter, and in nearby bodies of water.

On March 22, his parents say, Toman’s wallet was found outside Mont-Tremblant, not far from where he was last spotted. That launched a second police search, which included helicopters, dogs, ATVs, searchers on horseback and volunteer search-and-rescue groups.

A provincial police spokesperson confirmed the police investigation is ongoing, and has also included meeting with witnesses and reviewing video footage.

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The family has spent several days in Mont-Tremblant, handing out flyers and raising awareness of their son’s disappearance. They’ve also started a website, liamtoman.com, which includes photos and a timeline of his last movements.

His father, Chris Toman, says the Mont-Tremblant area is crowded, and the family is hoping someone might have seen something that could help trace his son’s whereabouts.

“It’s a popular spot, a lot of foot traffic, a lot of people seeing things, a lot of interactions with young adults,” he said. “It seems somebody has seen something or somebody should remember something.”

The family is asking anyone who was in the Mont Tremblant area around the time of the disappearance to check any camera footage, including doorbell or dash cameras, or to call provincial police or Crime Stoppers if they remember seeing or hearing anything related to Toman.

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Toman is 5-foot-9 and about 132 pounds with light brown hair and blue-grey eyes. He was wearing a black and dark green coat, black pants, a green plaid sweater and a white and black striped toque when he disappeared.

The family website says Toman graduated from Niagara College last spring with an electronics technician diploma. He is described as a social person who loves to ski, golf, play video games, learn about his car, and spend time with his friends.

Liam’s parents and Chris’s wife, Lara, say they remain focused on finding him, and are grateful for the outpouring of support they’ve received. However, the wait has been excruciating.

“We’re numb and it’s surreal,” Kathleen said. “A nightmare,” Chris added.

Chris says police have told the family that another ground search will begin in the coming weeks after the snow has melted. However, the family is hoping a member of the public might remember a detail that could help his family find him sooner.

“Until we find Liam, you consider and we consider every possibility,” Kathleen said. “Someone’s out there, someone knows something.”

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