For nearly a quarter of a century, a North Carolina family lived in limbo, suspended between grief and hope, never quite sure which emotion they were supposed to surrender to. And now, in a development that feels almost impossible to comprehend, a mother of three who vanished way back in December of 2001, has been found alive. Great news, right? Well, maybe not entirely... Related: Sheriff Reveals MAJOR Update On Testing Of DNA Sample Found At Nancy Guthrie's Home So, first the backstory. Back in December of 2001, Michele Lyn Hundley Smith (pictured above, in her driver's license photo from years ago), then 38 years old, left her home in Eden, North Carolina. She told loved ones that she was headed to a Kmart just across the border in Virginia to do some Christmas shopping. But she never came back. And her vehicle was never recovered. Investigators at the time labeled her disappearance troubling and urgent. Flyers warned that she should be considered endangered and emphasized that she would not leave her children by choice. Multiple agencies across North Carolina and Virginia, as well as the FBI, poured countless hours into chasing leads. And still, nothing. Until now. According to local reports from over the weekend, authorities in Rockingham County, North Carolina received a tip that led them to Michele - alive and well - at an undisclosed location in the Tarheel State. Law enforcement confirmed she is safe, according to local news outlet WFMY News 2. But here's the huge twist: cops also made it clear that, at Michele's request, her exact whereabouts will NOT be revealed. WHAT?! No charges are expected. Legally, there appears to be no crime committed and nothing keeping her from living the life she has chosen. For her family, the news is both miraculous and devastatingly complicated. Michele's cousin Barbara Byrd spoke to that local news outlet about the moment she learned Michele had been found: "I kind of want to go outside and scream, 'She's alive, she's alive.' For years, we didn't know if we were grieving or waiting. I never thought Michele was dead. I knew she was alive. It's just a feeling that I had my whole life." You can feel that release in her words. That decades-long question mark finally turning into a period. Related: The Sheriff's Department Behind Nancy Guthrie Case Has Its Own Reality TV Show?! But like we said, there's that massive twist which makes this story so layered and so painful: Michele does not want her location shared, and she apparently does not want contact with her old family - at least, not right now. Byrd acknowledged the complicated emotions that come with that reality: "I understand and respect that she doesn't want any of us to contact her. I'm not angry. The biggest answer I had today was she was alive. Nothing else matters right at this moment." Wow. Talk about grace under unimaginable circumstances. Still, there are questions that have lingered for 25 years. Questions that may never be answered. Byrd floated them: "My biggest question is to her is what happened all those years ago in December? What made you leave? What happened?" Those are the questions everyone is asking. What could cause a mother, described at the time as devoted and unlikely to leave by choice, to disappear without a trace? And how does someone rebuild a life so completely that they can remain hidden for decades? The emotional weight deepens when you learn that Michele's youngest brother, Brian, once made Byrd promise they would find her. He has since passed away. Barbara said: "He asked me to promise that we would find her. I'm going to say this out loud: she's OK, Brian." That line alone is enough to undo you. While respecting Michele's wishes, Byrd still holds onto hope for a future reconnection: "I would love to hear you say, 'I'm OK, but when I'm ready, I'll talk to you.'" Meanwhile, Michele's daughter Amanda is understandably navigating a tidal wave of emotions. Related: Searches For Nancy Guthrie's Address & Savannah's Salary Spiked Before Abduction! Per the New York Post, in a heartfelt Facebook statement, she didn't sugarcoat the complexity of what she's feeling: "These last couple of days ... have been a whirlwind of emotions. As far as my opinions and feelings on my mom, I am ecstatic, I am pissed, I am heartbroken, I am all over the map! 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." And then, through the pain, she remembered the love: "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!" At this point, authorities have not shared any information about why Michele disappeared or h