A North Carolina mother of three who disappeared more than two decades ago has been found alive and living a new life, according to authorities and local reports [1].
Michele Lyn Hundley Smith was 38 years old when she vanished in December 2001. At the time, she left her home in Eden, North Carolina, telling family she was going Christmas shopping at a Kmart in Virginia, according to the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office.
When she failed to return, her disappearance was described as troubling. A missing person flyer distributed at the time stated she should be considered “endangered” and noted that she “would not leave her kids by choice.”
A MISSING MOM FOUND 24 YEARS LATER: North Carolina Mom of 3 Who Vanished 24 Years Ago Found Alive and Living New Life:
A North Carolina mother of three who vanished over two decades ago was found alive and living a new life — leaving her family reeling with questions over… pic.twitter.com/7PTpG050ft [2]
— Donnie Cope (@dcopechatter) February 23, 2026 [3]
Law enforcement agencies across North Carolina and Virginia, including the FBI, participated in the search.
Authorities said investigators spent “countless” hours pursuing leads and conducting searches in an effort to locate the missing mother.
Despite those efforts, the case remained unsolved for nearly 24 years.
On Friday, officials announced that Smith had been located “alive and well” at an undisclosed location in North Carolina after officers received a tip.
Her exact whereabouts have not been released. Authorities confirmed that her family has been notified.
The discovery has left relatives grappling with a range of emotions and unanswered questions about what happened in December 2001.
“I kind of want to go outside and scream, ‘She’s alive, she’s alive,’” Smith’s cousin, Barbara Byrd, told WFMYNews 2.
“My biggest question is to her … what happened all those years ago in December? What made you leave? What happened?” Byrd said.
Byrd also said she had long believed her cousin was still alive.
“I never thought Michele was dead. I knew she was alive. It’s just a feeling that I had my whole life,” she said.
One of Smith’s children addressed the development in a lengthy statement posted Sunday to a Facebook account dedicated to finding her missing mother. The child described the discovery as overwhelming.
“These last couple of days … have been a whirlwind of emotions,” the statement read.
The child expressed mixed feelings about reconnecting with her mother after more than two decades.
“As far as my opinions and feelings on my mom … I am ecstatic, I am p—ed, I am heartbroken, I am all over the map! Will I have a relationship once more with my mom?” she said in the statement.
“Honestly, I can’t answer that because I don’t even know. My initial reaction would be yes, absolutely, but then I think of all the hurt … But even then, my mom is only human, just as we all are,” she wrote.
Reflecting on childhood memories, the statement continued:
“When my mom was a part of my daily life, she showed me a love and bond that will never ever be forgotten. There were mother-daughter arguments of course, but right now all I can remember are the smiles we shared, the times together that were happy, and the love I felt!”
Authorities have not disclosed details about why Smith left in 2001. The motive for her disappearance is not immediately clear.
Investigators have not indicated whether any additional information will be released as the case moves forward.