Missing Mountain Lakes Teen Seen In Philly, Dad Says

MOUNTAIN LAKES, NJ — Missing Mountain Lakes teenager Thomas Kolding was spotted in Philladelphia on Saturday, Nov. 3, father Nicolai Kolding told Patch.

Nicolai Kolding did not say specifically where in Philadelphia his son was spotted, nor did he say who saw Thomas. The Morris County Prosecutor's Office could not confirm Thomas was seen in Philadelphia, but confirmed that he was photographed at a train station in Camden the afternoon of Nov. 3. He was seen wearing a large blue backpack and an orange and black striped sweater.

Thomas Kolding was last known to be home in Mountain Lakes on Oct. 30. He took the train from Denville to Newark Broad Street, where he transferred to a New York Penn Station bound train. He is considered a runaway and there is nothing suspicious about his disappearance, officials said. Kolding had a "strong interest" in traveling to California, initial reports said.

Nicolai Kolding also shared more information on Thomas's temperament, advising anyone who sees the teen to treat him like an adult.

"He walks with a purpose - not strangely fast, but just someone who is going somewhere," Kolding wrote in a public post, adding, "If anyone sees him (especially those unfamiliar to him), think of him and talk to him like a 25 year-old not a 15 year-old."

He also shared information on what types of clothing Thomas Kolding might have packed:

He'll probably be wearing his grey/black sneakers (with white soles), athletic pants (sweats or soccer/Adidas warm-ups), a sweatshirt/hoodie (often Under Armour) in base colors (blue, orange), possibly his blue windbreaker (or that camo winter coat he first had on), sometimes a grey winter cap. We now realize the backpack he has is the blue one not black. He generally doesn't like to wear anything with a big image on it (though he does have some Manchester United shirts and a winter hat).

The sighting gave the Kolding family hope that Thomas would soon be home, but worries remained.

"We're buoyed by this [sighting], though we know there's much more work left," Nicolai Kolding told Patch.

"He is a wonderful, resourceful, and far-too-adventurous young man who we are worried about beyond words," mother Aleksandra Kolding wrote in a public plea for help.

Both parents thanked the public for their outpouring of support. Social media posts with information and photos of Thomas Kolding have garnered tens of thousands of shares in the eight days he has been missing.

All images via Morris County Prosecutor's office