WEBVTT
1
00:00:04.080 --> 00:00:08.199
This episode discusses topics related to suicide and mental health,
2
00:00:08.560 --> 00:00:12.519
which some listeners may find distressing. If you or someone
3
00:00:12.560 --> 00:00:15.839
you know is struggling, please reach out to trusted friend,
4
00:00:16.079 --> 00:00:20.199
family member, or mental health professional. You are not alone.
5
00:00:20.440 --> 00:00:24.239
Help is available. In the United States, you can call
6
00:00:24.359 --> 00:00:28.120
or text nine eight eight the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
7
00:00:28.440 --> 00:00:31.920
It's available twenty four hours, seven days a week. In
8
00:00:32.000 --> 00:00:36.679
the UK, contact Samaritans at one one six one two three.
9
00:00:37.280 --> 00:00:41.479
In Australia, reach out to Lifeline at one three one
10
00:00:41.600 --> 00:00:46.359
one one four. For other countries, please visit find a
11
00:00:46.439 --> 00:00:51.159
Helpline dot com for a global directory of mental health resources.
12
00:00:51.880 --> 00:01:10.680
Listener discretion is advised. Ladies and gentlemen. The captain has
13
00:01:10.680 --> 00:01:14.359
turned on the fastened seatbelt sign. If you haven't already
14
00:01:14.400 --> 00:01:17.400
done so, Please make sure the volume of this podcast
15
00:01:17.560 --> 00:01:21.599
is set perfectly to your listening enjoyment. Please take your seat,
16
00:01:21.959 --> 00:01:25.719
whether that's on the treadmill, car, sofa, or bed, and
17
00:01:25.760 --> 00:01:29.200
buckle in for the Last Trip. My name is Jamie
18
00:01:29.200 --> 00:01:32.480
bb and I'll be your tour guide recreating someone's last
19
00:01:32.599 --> 00:01:37.000
days in paradise on behalf of myself and everyone behind
20
00:01:37.040 --> 00:01:41.519
the scenes. Please enjoy the Last Trip podcast, and because
21
00:01:41.560 --> 00:01:43.879
nobody likes a long flight to get to where they
22
00:01:43.879 --> 00:01:51.400
want to be, let's prepare for takeoffs. Sky Budnick was
23
00:01:51.439 --> 00:01:54.599
twenty one years old in two thousand and eight when
24
00:01:54.640 --> 00:01:57.359
she left Connecticut on a one way flight to Japan
25
00:01:57.719 --> 00:02:02.400
without telling anyone. After arriving, she was seen at an
26
00:02:02.439 --> 00:02:06.920
inn in northern Japan. But from there her trail ended
27
00:02:07.480 --> 00:02:11.159
and the mystery only deepened. No one knows why she
28
00:02:11.240 --> 00:02:15.280
went to Japan, what happened once she got there, or
29
00:02:15.639 --> 00:02:19.680
where she is now, But over sixteen years later, her
30
00:02:19.680 --> 00:02:24.319
family is still actively searching for her, and they deserve answers.
31
00:02:25.240 --> 00:02:33.360
Where is Sky Budnik? I chose this week's case because
32
00:02:33.439 --> 00:02:36.520
I'm actually going to be in Japan next week and
33
00:02:36.719 --> 00:02:39.639
found it while I was researching my trip. I'll be
34
00:02:39.759 --> 00:02:43.240
visiting Tokyo, while Sky went much further north to the
35
00:02:43.319 --> 00:02:47.919
area of Hakkaido. Hakkaido is the northernmost of Japan's main
36
00:02:48.000 --> 00:02:52.719
islands and is more of a destination for nature lovers, adventurers,
37
00:02:52.879 --> 00:02:57.080
and those seeking a quieter atmosphere. It's almost the opposite
38
00:02:57.280 --> 00:03:01.599
of a trip to Tokyo. Hakkaido has cool summers at harsh,
39
00:03:01.759 --> 00:03:05.879
snowy winters, which makes it a top destination for skiing
40
00:03:05.960 --> 00:03:10.080
and snowboarding. The capital city is Siporo, known for the
41
00:03:10.120 --> 00:03:14.639
annual Sapporo Snow Festival, Sapporo beer, and my favorite me
42
00:03:14.840 --> 00:03:18.360
so ramen. Well, Sapporo isn't as much of a tourist
43
00:03:18.439 --> 00:03:22.439
destination as Tokyo, they have some great reasons to check
44
00:03:22.479 --> 00:03:26.479
it out. In the spring, the cherry blossoms bloom in
45
00:03:26.560 --> 00:03:29.879
the summer, the Sapporo Summer Festival and the beer gardens
46
00:03:29.960 --> 00:03:33.520
bring a big crowd, and of course the Saporo Snow
47
00:03:33.560 --> 00:03:37.639
Festival in the winter, which features massive ice and snow sculptures.
48
00:03:38.319 --> 00:03:41.039
While we think Sky made her way to Sapporo, we
49
00:03:41.159 --> 00:03:44.360
can't be sure, but we are sure that she stayed
50
00:03:44.520 --> 00:03:48.159
at least several days in the small town of Nibori Betsu.
51
00:03:48.879 --> 00:03:52.719
Nobori Betsu is famous for its hot springs and natural beauty,
52
00:03:53.319 --> 00:03:56.159
but in two thousand and eight it wasn't a place
53
00:03:56.319 --> 00:04:01.240
many Westerners were visiting. Japan's tourism industry was still largely
54
00:04:01.280 --> 00:04:05.159
focused on domestic travelers, and it was a popular getaway
55
00:04:05.199 --> 00:04:09.879
for Japanese families, couples, and retirees seeking the relaxing hot
56
00:04:09.919 --> 00:04:14.120
springs It's a very traditional town with limited English at
57
00:04:14.120 --> 00:04:16.519
the time, so it would have been difficult for a
58
00:04:16.560 --> 00:04:21.560
solo American tourist to get around without being fluent in Japanese.
59
00:04:21.720 --> 00:04:26.240
Sky would have been and was noticed while she was there. Today,
60
00:04:26.399 --> 00:04:29.199
it's still a little off the beaten path for many tourists,
61
00:04:29.639 --> 00:04:33.680
but much more popular. The hot springs or onsen bring
62
00:04:33.759 --> 00:04:38.240
a lot of people to town. Also, Hell Valley, which isn't
63
00:04:38.279 --> 00:04:42.399
as horrible as it sounds, is actually a striking landscape
64
00:04:42.439 --> 00:04:46.439
in a volcanic valley with dramatic steam vents and bubbling pools.
65
00:04:47.199 --> 00:04:49.959
The natural minerals from the hot springs are believed to
66
00:04:50.000 --> 00:04:53.399
have healing properties, so it's also a popular spot for
67
00:04:53.480 --> 00:04:57.879
wildness retreats. Like I said, I wouldn't see Hakaido as
68
00:04:57.879 --> 00:05:01.000
Sky's first choice to stop when visiting Japan for the
69
00:05:01.000 --> 00:05:04.800
first time, especially because she loved anime and the culture
70
00:05:04.920 --> 00:05:09.279
so much that Tokyo makes more sense to me. Tokyo
71
00:05:09.519 --> 00:05:14.120
is a NonStop, bright, twenty four hour maze of people, places,
72
00:05:14.240 --> 00:05:17.560
and things. I've been trying to plan my trip and
73
00:05:17.800 --> 00:05:20.199
for everything I want to do, I need to be
74
00:05:20.279 --> 00:05:22.759
there for at least a year, so I had to
75
00:05:22.839 --> 00:05:25.879
narrow my list down because I'm only going for a week.
76
00:05:26.720 --> 00:05:29.439
My main goal is to hit some awesome thrift stores
77
00:05:29.879 --> 00:05:33.759
because thrift stores in Japan are like my kryptonite. I
78
00:05:33.839 --> 00:05:37.120
love the older styles and the fashion, and the prices
79
00:05:37.160 --> 00:05:42.240
are super cheap. I cannot wait to shop there. Beyond that,
80
00:05:42.639 --> 00:05:45.399
I want to see the Unco Museum, which is a
81
00:05:45.480 --> 00:05:50.639
museum entirely dedicated to poop. It's bright, fun and glittery,
82
00:05:51.040 --> 00:05:53.720
and gives you the lowdown on everything that happens in
83
00:05:53.720 --> 00:05:57.199
the bathroom. Also, they have a bunch of animal cafes
84
00:05:57.399 --> 00:05:59.399
where you can go and enjoy a coffee or tea
85
00:05:59.680 --> 00:06:04.959
with hedgehogs, owls, cats, rabbits, ferrets, raccoons, and lots of
86
00:06:05.000 --> 00:06:08.439
other animals that I'm not sure I've ever seen. For
87
00:06:08.480 --> 00:06:12.120
all my fellow true crime enthusiasts, there's also a crime
88
00:06:12.199 --> 00:06:16.480
fighting themed cafe where all the bartenders are actually private
89
00:06:16.560 --> 00:06:19.879
detectives by day. They'll make you a drink and tell
90
00:06:19.879 --> 00:06:22.959
you about their day job, which sounds fascinating to me.
91
00:06:23.879 --> 00:06:28.160
I also plan to visit some unusual public toilets. The
92
00:06:28.240 --> 00:06:31.519
toilets are encased by transparent glass in a variety of
93
00:06:31.639 --> 00:06:35.720
vibrant colors and you can see right through them. But
94
00:06:35.920 --> 00:06:38.600
once you go inside and lock the door, the walls
95
00:06:38.600 --> 00:06:42.720
automatically turn opaque. Just don't forget to lock the door.
96
00:06:43.480 --> 00:06:46.079
If you're curious about my trip to Japan, you can
97
00:06:46.120 --> 00:06:49.519
always check out my Instagram at feather Girls seventy seven.
98
00:06:50.319 --> 00:06:53.199
But for now, let's get to know more about Sky.
99
00:06:53.879 --> 00:06:58.879
After a word from our sponsors.
100
00:07:01.240 --> 00:07:04.680
Hey, they're true crime afficionados looking for a podcast that's
101
00:07:04.720 --> 00:07:06.600
as twisted as it is hilarious.
102
00:07:06.800 --> 00:07:09.879
Well, you've stumbled upon the perfect place. Welcome to Lumidol
103
00:07:09.959 --> 00:07:12.519
on the Wall, or as we like to call it, LOTWA.
104
00:07:12.600 --> 00:07:15.120
I'm Becky the sunshine to your day, and I'm Bevy,
105
00:07:15.279 --> 00:07:18.519
the moonlight to your darkness. Together were the sisters you
106
00:07:18.639 --> 00:07:21.600
never needn needed, bringing you true crime like you've never
107
00:07:21.639 --> 00:07:22.240
heard before.
108
00:07:22.759 --> 00:07:25.759
Picture this, two sisters, complete opposites.
109
00:07:25.920 --> 00:07:28.680
Yeah, she's all sunshine and kindness while I'm the queen
110
00:07:28.680 --> 00:07:30.120
of sarcasm and sass.
111
00:07:30.360 --> 00:07:33.120
But that's what makes our sister chat so relatable. We're
112
00:07:33.160 --> 00:07:34.959
like the sun and the moon lighting up your true
113
00:07:34.959 --> 00:07:36.920
crime journey with laughter and irreverence.
114
00:07:37.079 --> 00:07:40.480
That's right. We dive into the darkest corners of humanity.
115
00:07:40.600 --> 00:07:43.279
But We don't just stop at the core and the controversies.
116
00:07:43.560 --> 00:07:47.639
Oh No, We're here to roast the characters, each other,
117
00:07:48.040 --> 00:07:49.959
and sometimes even ourselves.
118
00:07:50.319 --> 00:07:52.839
We laugh hysterically at our own jokes.
119
00:07:52.839 --> 00:07:55.040
And we swear like sailors while we're at it. So
120
00:07:55.319 --> 00:07:58.240
if you're easily offended, consider this your warning.
121
00:07:58.680 --> 00:08:00.680
But if you're ready for a while ride through the
122
00:08:00.720 --> 00:08:04.000
twisted minds of murderers, join us on latwa. We'll cope
123
00:08:04.000 --> 00:08:06.480
with the horrific nature of our content the only way
124
00:08:06.519 --> 00:08:09.240
that we know how that is with a healthy or
125
00:08:09.279 --> 00:08:12.720
maybe excessive dose of sarcasm, wit, and a touch acrass humor.
126
00:08:13.240 --> 00:08:16.120
So what are you waiting for? Hit that follow button
127
00:08:16.199 --> 00:08:18.959
and join our sisterhood as we navigate the murky waters
128
00:08:19.000 --> 00:08:22.079
of true crime. Together. We promise you won't regret it.
129
00:08:28.680 --> 00:08:33.039
Sky Lynn Budnick was born on February twenty second, nineteen
130
00:08:33.080 --> 00:08:36.639
eighty seven, in Connecticut. She has an older brother, Matt,
131
00:08:36.799 --> 00:08:41.240
and an older sister, Megan. Growing up, sky fell alienated
132
00:08:41.360 --> 00:08:44.039
in middle school and high school because she had different
133
00:08:44.039 --> 00:08:47.759
interests than other kids her age. Mainly, she was a
134
00:08:47.840 --> 00:08:52.320
huge fan of Japanese culture and anime. Anime is basically
135
00:08:52.440 --> 00:08:56.559
a style of animated TV shows, movies, and online series
136
00:08:56.600 --> 00:08:59.960
that come from Japan. It's known for its colorful artwork,
137
00:09:00.320 --> 00:09:03.679
vibrant characters, and wide range of stories that can be
138
00:09:03.679 --> 00:09:09.759
about anything action, romance, science fiction, fantasy, comedy, or even
139
00:09:09.799 --> 00:09:14.039
just everyday life. Think of anime as Japan's version of
140
00:09:14.080 --> 00:09:18.360
animated storytelling, kind of like how the US has cartoons,
141
00:09:18.919 --> 00:09:22.399
except anime is not just for kids. In the early
142
00:09:22.480 --> 00:09:25.799
two thousands, anime was just hitting the surface in the
143
00:09:25.879 --> 00:09:31.399
United States. It was a growing but niche subculture. Back then,
144
00:09:31.639 --> 00:09:35.559
fans had to rely heavily on DVDs, and sometimes channels
145
00:09:35.600 --> 00:09:38.480
like The Cartoon Network and Adult Swim showed the more
146
00:09:38.519 --> 00:09:42.240
popular series. This was also a time that the Internet
147
00:09:42.279 --> 00:09:46.080
was starting to explode, so anime fans were able to
148
00:09:46.080 --> 00:09:49.679
find each other on blogging sites and chat rooms. They
149
00:09:49.720 --> 00:09:52.600
also met up at conventions where they dressed up as
150
00:09:52.600 --> 00:09:57.879
their favorite characters. Because it wasn't mainstream, anime fans were
151
00:09:57.919 --> 00:10:03.480
often stereotyped as social, awkward or overly obsessed with Japanese culture.
152
00:10:04.279 --> 00:10:08.279
Through college and these online chat rooms, Sky found friends
153
00:10:08.399 --> 00:10:12.039
she could relate to. She was described as very sweet,
154
00:10:12.279 --> 00:10:17.480
hard working, and deeply introverted. She was shy, quiet, isolated,
155
00:10:17.679 --> 00:10:22.039
and often struggled socially. Sky went to Central Connecticut State
156
00:10:22.159 --> 00:10:25.360
University in New Britain, Connecticut, and at the time of
157
00:10:25.399 --> 00:10:28.120
her disappearance, she was a twenty one year old junior
158
00:10:28.720 --> 00:10:33.559
studying international business with a concentration or minor in Japanese studies.
159
00:10:34.320 --> 00:10:37.799
Her dream was to go to Japan, but unfortunately she
160
00:10:37.840 --> 00:10:41.360
had already missed two opportunities through the Study Abroad program
161
00:10:41.720 --> 00:10:45.720
because she was failing several classes. Most of her personal
162
00:10:45.759 --> 00:10:49.279
time was devoted to watching or playing with anime, and
163
00:10:49.320 --> 00:10:52.480
her struggles to fit in socially were reflective of her
164
00:10:52.480 --> 00:10:56.360
worstening depression, which was an illness that had occasionally appeared
165
00:10:56.399 --> 00:10:59.360
and other members of her family. At the end of
166
00:10:59.399 --> 00:11:02.679
two thousand and eight seven, Sky started messaging her friends
167
00:11:02.720 --> 00:11:05.600
on Facebook to see if they wanted to buy collectibles
168
00:11:05.600 --> 00:11:08.559
and possessions off of her. She told them the money
169
00:11:08.639 --> 00:11:12.039
was to pay for school, but that wasn't exactly the truth.
170
00:11:12.639 --> 00:11:15.919
Her parents were paying for school and she had student loans,
171
00:11:16.519 --> 00:11:19.440
so nobody knows why she wanted the money or why
172
00:11:19.519 --> 00:11:22.080
she'd want to get rid of her things. In the
173
00:11:22.120 --> 00:11:25.519
beginning of two thousand and eight, there were several disappointments
174
00:11:25.559 --> 00:11:28.440
in a row that led to a particularly difficult time
175
00:11:28.519 --> 00:11:33.000
for Sky. In January, Sky either missed or canceled her
176
00:11:33.000 --> 00:11:36.600
first trip to Japan, but she hadn't told anyone she
177
00:11:36.679 --> 00:11:39.960
planned to go. The only reason her family found out
178
00:11:40.000 --> 00:11:43.440
about it was because Skuy's mom received a courtesy call
179
00:11:43.600 --> 00:11:46.919
notifying her of the missed flight. When she asked Sky
180
00:11:47.000 --> 00:11:50.159
about it, she claimed she was just looking into flights
181
00:11:50.200 --> 00:11:53.399
for her friend. Her family didn't think much of it,
182
00:11:53.759 --> 00:11:56.759
but later found out the flight was hers and was
183
00:11:56.799 --> 00:12:01.600
never refunded. She was already struggling atadically and then was
184
00:12:01.639 --> 00:12:04.759
heartbroken to learn in March that her grades weren't good
185
00:12:04.840 --> 00:12:07.519
enough and she had missed the deadline to travel with
186
00:12:07.559 --> 00:12:10.879
the Study Abroad program to Japan, and she found out
187
00:12:10.879 --> 00:12:15.679
that the opportunity would not happen again until after she graduated. Then,
188
00:12:15.879 --> 00:12:18.919
on March twenty fifth, a good friend of Sky's reached
189
00:12:18.919 --> 00:12:22.360
out to her on Facebook Messenger, upset and hurt that
190
00:12:22.399 --> 00:12:25.879
Sky was belittling her Japanese around their friends and making
191
00:12:25.919 --> 00:12:29.399
fun of her. They chatted and Sky apologized for how
192
00:12:29.440 --> 00:12:32.480
she acted and they made up, but it did seem
193
00:12:32.519 --> 00:12:35.679
like Sky was really hard on herself about hurting her friend.
194
00:12:36.480 --> 00:12:39.240
On that same day, there was a ten dollars charge
195
00:12:39.279 --> 00:12:42.320
from a travel agency posted to s Guy's bank account.
196
00:12:43.080 --> 00:12:46.279
Her family later realized this was when the booking process
197
00:12:46.480 --> 00:12:49.799
was either started or completed for her trip to Japan.
198
00:12:50.639 --> 00:12:53.360
The next day, Sky reached back out to the friend
199
00:12:53.440 --> 00:12:55.960
she had argued with and thanked her for being such
200
00:12:56.000 --> 00:12:59.440
a good friend. That's also when a charge for seven
201
00:12:59.519 --> 00:13:03.080
hundred thirty seven dollars and forty cents was posted to
202
00:13:03.120 --> 00:13:06.480
her bank account for the purchase of her flight. Sky's
203
00:13:06.559 --> 00:13:09.480
last day in the United States with March thirty first,
204
00:13:09.639 --> 00:13:12.960
two thousand and eight, she was in good spirits with
205
00:13:13.000 --> 00:13:15.519
her family and asked her mom to bake some of
206
00:13:15.559 --> 00:13:18.799
her favorite cupcakes. When her sister told her she could
207
00:13:18.879 --> 00:13:22.039
learn to bake them herself, Sky said she just wanted
208
00:13:22.039 --> 00:13:26.120
her mom to make them one last time. In hindsight,
209
00:13:26.200 --> 00:13:29.559
it's rather ominous, but at the time no one thought
210
00:13:29.600 --> 00:13:33.039
anything of it. Sky was still living at home, but
211
00:13:33.120 --> 00:13:35.480
that night told her family that she'd be staying with
212
00:13:35.519 --> 00:13:38.320
a friend on campus for a few days, and that
213
00:13:38.440 --> 00:13:45.559
was the last time they ever saw or heard from Sky.
214
00:13:45.960 --> 00:13:50.120
On April first, two thousand and eight, without telling anyone,
215
00:13:50.679 --> 00:13:53.600
Sky boarded a one way flight to Japan out of
216
00:13:53.639 --> 00:13:58.440
Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut on United Airlines.
217
00:13:59.159 --> 00:14:02.120
She left her thousand and five Chevy Aveo parked at
218
00:14:02.120 --> 00:14:05.279
the airport and took her keys with her, but she
219
00:14:05.320 --> 00:14:09.320
didn't bring a suitcase full of clothes, rather just her computer,
220
00:14:09.799 --> 00:14:14.440
Nintendo DS, debit card, and perhaps an outfit or two.
221
00:14:14.600 --> 00:14:18.039
Her first layover was in Washington, d C, where she
222
00:14:18.120 --> 00:14:21.279
withdrew eight hundred dollars from an ATM at the airport,
223
00:14:21.919 --> 00:14:25.480
leaving four hundred dollars remaining in her bank account. On
224
00:14:25.559 --> 00:14:29.440
April second, Sky landed in Tokyo for another layover at
225
00:14:29.480 --> 00:14:32.519
three point thirty in the afternoon, and three hours later
226
00:14:32.600 --> 00:14:34.960
she took the final leg of her flight to Sapporo
227
00:14:35.159 --> 00:14:39.879
Chitose Airport and arrived there at seven forty five pm.
228
00:14:40.320 --> 00:14:43.600
So without telling anyone at all, and her parents thinking
229
00:14:43.639 --> 00:14:46.679
she's just staying with a friend on campus, Sky flew
230
00:14:46.720 --> 00:14:51.639
halfway across the world by herself for reasons unknown. But
231
00:14:51.799 --> 00:14:55.639
how was it? No one noticed? Partly because the day
232
00:14:55.720 --> 00:14:58.759
she left, her sister Meghan, who was twenty four at
233
00:14:58.759 --> 00:15:01.440
the time and also living at home, ended up in
234
00:15:01.480 --> 00:15:05.519
the hospital with medical issues. While all that was going on,
235
00:15:05.840 --> 00:15:08.720
the family lost track of time and didn't realize they
236
00:15:08.759 --> 00:15:11.919
hadn't seen Sky in a couple of days. This gave
237
00:15:11.960 --> 00:15:14.679
Sky time to get to Japan and spend her first
238
00:15:14.720 --> 00:15:18.399
few days there with nobody knowing she was gone. When
239
00:15:18.440 --> 00:15:21.240
Sky got to the Chetose airport, she went to the
240
00:15:21.279 --> 00:15:24.200
train station but had trouble figuring out how to buy
241
00:15:24.200 --> 00:15:26.879
a ticket. There, she met a man who helped her
242
00:15:26.960 --> 00:15:29.879
purchase the ticket, and when he came forward as a
243
00:15:29.879 --> 00:15:33.080
witness later, he said she was upset during the interaction,