\u201cTo this man, you to me are an angel sent from God. My heart thanks him for you everyday,\u201d she wrote. <\/p>\n
She said she finally received DNA confirmation that the remains were a match on June 16, after a \u201cdifficult\u201d and \u201cexhausting\u201d five months.<\/p>\n
Ainsley told the Herald that finally getting that call was \u201coverwhelming\u201d.<\/p>\n
Samuel McAlister went missing after failing to return from a kayak fishing trip in the Firth of Thames in September 2023.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s hard to explain. There\u2019s such a torrent of emotions all at once,\u201d she said. <\/p>\n
\u201cI just praise God to be honest because it has answered a prayer to know what actually did happen and to just have him back.\u201d<\/p>\n
She said it had been a \u201cvery hard\u201d few months waiting for confirmation, but she was thankful that her family now had closure. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ainsley said McAlister\u2019s three children \u2013 Rhythm, 9; Kahu, 7; and Amiyah, 4 \u2013 have been \u201cvery brave\u201d. <\/p>\n
\u201cThey talk a lot about their dad and how much they miss him and love him. We just try to keep Samuel\u2019s memories alive in good ways.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ainsley said she wants to meet and thank the man who found her son\u2019s remains.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m hoping the police will be able to sort that out for me with him. I would love to just say thank you.<\/p>\n
\u201cI would tell him that I feel like he is an angel in my life, and that I\u2019m 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
Samuel McAlister was a father to three children, Amiyah (in his arms), Rhythm (left) and Kahu. <\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think it will help us to move forward,\u201d Ainsley said. \u201cEspecially his brothers and his sister, it\u2019s been a hard road for them as well, but it\u2019s brought us closer together as a family. So it\u2019ll give us all that opportunity to just let him rest in peace now.\u201d<\/p>\n
Police confirmed to the Herald that McAlister\u2019s remains were located at Motukaramarama Island on January 6 and his death has been referred to the coroner.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe remains have been forensically examined by a pathologist and DNA testing has been completed,\u201d relieving Waikato district criminal investigations manager provisional Inspector Stephen Ambler said.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur thoughts are with Samuel\u2019s family during this difficult time, however we are pleased they have received some closure.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ainsley wrote on Facebook that she received the final confirmation of the DNA testing on Tuesday last week. <\/p>\n
\u201cIn 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. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt was as though every prayer, every sleepless night, every unanswered question and every ounce of heartache finally found its release.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ainsley wrote that the family had decided to respect the Iwi and not go back to the island for a second recovery. <\/p>\n
\u201cAs this island was an urup\u0101, 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
She thanked everyone who had helped, searched, hoped or prayed with their family. <\/p>\n
\u201cSamuel, my beautiful boy, Mama finally found you.\u201d<\/p>\n