“To this man, you to me are an angel sent from God. My heart thanks him for you everyday,” she wrote.
She said she finally received DNA confirmation that the remains were a match on June 16, after a “difficult” and “exhausting” five months.
Ainsley told the Herald that finally getting that call was “overwhelming”.
Samuel McAlister went missing after failing to return from a kayak fishing trip in the Firth of Thames in September 2023.
“It’s hard to explain. There’s such a torrent of emotions all at once,” she said.
“I just praise God to be honest because it has answered a prayer to know what actually did happen and to just have him back.”
She said it had been a “very hard” few months waiting for confirmation, but she was thankful that her family now had closure.
“It was like reliving the first months of trying to find him again. So it was very hard, but I actually raise his children, so I had to keep going for them.”
Ainsley said McAlister’s three children – Rhythm, 9; Kahu, 7; and Amiyah, 4 – have been “very brave”.
“They talk a lot about their dad and how much they miss him and love him. We just try to keep Samuel’s memories alive in good ways.”
Ainsley said she wants to meet and thank the man who found her son’s remains.
“I’m hoping the police will be able to sort that out for me with him. I would love to just say thank you.
“I would tell him that I feel like he is an angel in my life, and that I’m so very thankful. He will be a big part of my heart for the rest of my life because he found my beautiful boy. I wish him all the best in life.”
Samuel McAlister was a father to three children, Amiyah (in his arms), Rhythm (left) and Kahu.
A funeral is being arranged so immediate family and close friends can finally lay McAlister to rest, having not had a chance to honour their loved one aside from a memorial one year after McAlister went missing.
“I think it will help us to move forward,” Ainsley said. “Especially his brothers and his sister, it’s been a hard road for them as well, but it’s brought us closer together as a family. So it’ll give us all that opportunity to just let him rest in peace now.”
Police confirmed to the Herald that McAlister’s remains were located at Motukaramarama Island on January 6 and his death has been referred to the coroner.
“The remains have been forensically examined by a pathologist and DNA testing has been completed,” relieving Waikato district criminal investigations manager provisional Inspector Stephen Ambler said.
“Our thoughts are with Samuel’s family during this difficult time, however we are pleased they have received some closure.”
Ainsley wrote on Facebook that she received the final confirmation of the DNA testing on Tuesday last week.
“In that moment, the weight of the last 2 years and 9 months seemed to crash over me all at once. I cried in a way that only a mother who has lost a child could truly understand.
“It was as though every prayer, every sleepless night, every unanswered question and every ounce of heartache finally found its release.”
Ainsley wrote that the family had decided to respect the Iwi and not go back to the island for a second recovery.
“As this island was an urupā, it would be wrong to dig the land. This in itself was a big decision to make but now this island will always be a sacred place for us too.”
She thanked everyone who had helped, searched, hoped or prayed with their family.
“Samuel, my beautiful boy, Mama finally found you.”
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