'A True Miracle': Missing Woman Found After Three Days

DRACUT, MA — A missing Dracut woman was found alive Wednesday after three days of anxiety for the family and a massive, community-wide search effort.

Officials report the woman, 75-year-old Kathy Lucier, has dementia and Parkinson's Disease.

In a joyous post shared on the "Kathy Lucier Search" Facebook page, which helped coordinate local efforts, the Lucier family said Wednesday:

"Thank you for everything you all have done to bring our beautiful mother, grandmother, friend, aunt, wife and incredible soul Kathy Lucier home to her family! Dracut is an incredible community and you all have poured so much love into our hearts in the past three days. The Lucier family will never be able to repay you all for the love and kindness you have shown us. Thank you all for praying and thank you for searching day and night. There will never be enough words to say in the world to express our gratitude."

After she disappeared on Sunday, the community came together to find her.

More than 1,500 people had joined the search's Facebook page, including some who posted to say they traveled from out of town to help. When the happy news broke, commenters flooded the page to express their relief and joy at what one woman jubilantly called "A true miracle!"

Police, who know full well how hopeless missing persons cases can become after more than a few days, cheered the news on social media.

State Rep. Colleen Garry was one of the leaders of the civilian search efforts, convening volunteer search parties, printing fliers and coordinating community outreach from her law offices. On social media, she urged residents to leave their outside lights on at night to "Help Kathy find her way home."

On her Facebook page, Garry confirmed Lucier was found by a volunteer search team member Justin George, identified elsewhere as a firefighter with the Dracut Fire Department.

Photo courtesy "Kathy Lucier Search" Page