CLEVELAND — The family of a missing Maryland man is in Cleveland searching for him after he disappeared following the Browns-Steelers game Thursday night.
Phoenix Phillips, 24, is described by his mother, Amanda Phillips, as a loving, successful business owner and father of a 2-year-old boy who loves sports, football and the Steelers.
"Phoenix literally messaged me. He was at the airport, and he said, 'We're going to watch the game. I'm going with a friend.' He was excited," Amanda said.
Amanda said the family is close-knit and that she speaks with her two sons every day.
"I message him every day, every night, throughout the day. And I always know his whereabouts," she said.
Amanda texted with Phoenix after the game Thursday night. She said she went to bed and texted him again at 7:30 a.m. Friday morning. She quickly knew something was wrong when her phone rang shortly after.
"I got a call from Cleveland, Ohio, at 7:36. And I said, 'This isn't good,' so I answered. And one of the guys that he had met up with throughout the night, he had found his phone. He dropped it," Amanda said.
Amanda Phillips and her sister drove to Cleveland on Saturday and started handing out flyers and searching for Phoenix. More family members arrived early Tuesday morning.
"We're living through a nightmare right now, and you know we're just hopeful that we can come to a conclusion and get some answers," said Tom Porter, Phoenix's uncle.
Amanda said she spoke with the friend Phoenix traveled to Cleveland with, and that he is devastated too.
"They got separated throughout the night. His friend went back to the hotel, and Phoenix stayed out with these other guys that they had met up with throughout the night," Amanda said.
The family is working with Cleveland Missing and Cleveland police to find Phoenix. Cleveland police are working to piece together what happened. Cleveland Police is continuing to ask for the public's help.
The family said they will not stop searching until they have answers.
"He's not someone to give up on anything or anyone, so we won't give up on him," Porter said.
Anyone with information about Phoenix Phillips is asked to call the Cleveland Police Department at 216-835-6179.
