A woman who disappeared without a trace more than 20 years ago has been found alive and well, police have confirmed. Michele Hundley Smith went missing from her home in North Carolina, USA, in December 2001 after telling her family she was popping out to do some Christmas shopping. She left behind her three children, then aged seven, 14 and 19.
The local sheriff's office and the FBI launched a nationwide search, but no trace of her was found. Now, the Rockingham County Sheriff's Office has announced that Smith is "alive and well", though her location is not being disclosed at her request. It is understood that she has been living under the radar for more than two decades, apparently leading a double life.
Her family, who had spent years not knowing whether to grieve or hope, have expressed a mix of emotions. Her cousin Barbara Byrd told local news: "I kind of want to go outside and scream 'she’s alive, she’s alive'. My biggest question is to her: 'What happened all those years ago in December? What made you leave?'" Ms Byrd added that she respects Smith's request for no contact, saying: "The biggest answer I had today was she was alive. Nothing else matters right at this moment."
Smith's daughter Amanda wrote a lengthy statement on Facebook, saying she was "ecstatic, angry, and heartbroken all at once". She reflected on the bond she shared with her mother and said: "There were mother-daughter arguments... but right now all I can remember are the smiles we shared." Amanda also asked that both her parents' choices be respected.
The disappearance had haunted the family for decades. A Facebook page dedicated to finding Smith had stated: "Michele would have never left her children by choice." The vehicle she was driving, a forest-green 1995 Pontiac Trans Sport van, was never recovered. The case had remained open with few leads until the recent revelation.
