Found Alive After 24 Years, NC Mother Speaks About Why She Left

A North Carolina mother of three who disappeared more than two decades ago has been found alive and told investigators she left her family in 2001 because of “ongoing domestic issues,” according to local authorities.

As The New York Post reported, Michele Lyn Hundley Smith, who was 38 at the time of her disappearance, vanished in December 2001 after leaving her home in Eden.

She told her family she was going Christmas shopping at a Kmart in Virginia, according to the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office.

A missing mom has been found alive after vanishing 24 years ago.

Michele Hundley Smith was 38 years old when her husband reported that she had left their home in Eden, North Carolina, on December 9th, 2001, to go Christmas shopping in Martinsville, Virginia. She never returned… pic.twitter.com/kIpYnhcyNu

— Rose (@901Lulu) February 24, 2026

Here’s What They’re Not Telling You About Your Retirement

Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page said Smith recently spoke with law enforcement after being located.

This Could Be the Most Important Video Gun Owners Watch All Year

“She said she left … due to ongoing domestic issues at the time,” Page told PEOPLE.

The sheriff did not provide details about what Smith meant by “domestic issues.” He said the sheriff’s office had no record of domestic incidents in the household at the time of her disappearance, PEOPLE reported.

“Let me just say there were no allegations of any foul play regarding to her leaving,” Page added.

Smith’s disappearance prompted an extensive search effort that involved multiple agencies across North Carolina and Virginia, including the FBI.

Authorities said investigators spent “countless” hours pursuing leads after she was reported missing.

At the time, a missing-person flier described her case as “troubling” and stated she should be considered “endangered.” The flier also said she “would not leave her kids by choice.”

For years, her case remained unsolved.

On Friday, officers received a tip that led them to Smith at an undisclosed location in North Carolina. Authorities announced she had been found “alive and well.” Her family was notified that she had been located.

The discovery sparked strong reactions from her children. In a lengthy statement posted Sunday on Facebook, one of Smith’s daughters described the emotional impact of learning her mother was alive.

“These last couple of days … have been a whirlwind of emotions,” the unidentified daughter wrote on a Facebook account dedicated to finding her missing mother.

She expressed conflicting feelings about reconnecting with her mother.

“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!” she wrote.

The daughter also reflected on whether she would rebuild a relationship with Smith.

“Will I have a relationship once more with my mom? 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 said.

She added that she still remembers the bond she once shared with her mother.

“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 released further details about Smith’s life during the 24 years she was missing.

The case, once treated as a possible endangered missing-person investigation, has now shifted to questions about what led her to leave and how her family will move forward after more than two decades apart.

Warning: Account balances and purchasing power no longer tell the same story. Know in 2 minutes if your retirement is working for you.

The opinions expressed by contributors and/or content partners are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of LifeZette. Contact us for guidelines on submitting your own commentary.