After 18 long years in captivity and giving birth to two children all alone, Jaycee Duggard is living proof that there is hope for all those with loved ones missing.

The news of Dugard’s incredible story has been welcomed dearly by the parents of missing girl Madeleine McCann. It has been over four years since Madeleine disappeared in Praya da Luz Portugal, but Kate and Gerry McCann have never given up hope of finding their beloved daughter

Even those who strongly believe that Madeleine may never come home, cannot deny the McCann’s from taking some hope from this amazing woman’s escape from hell.There are similarities between the two cases, albeit Madeleine was a lot younger that Jaycee when she went missing.

During Jaycee’s first television interview with ABC News, she told the world of the terrible ordeal she was put through by evil monster Phillip Garrido. Miss Dugard was forced into giving birth at the tender age of fourteen, while having one hand handcuffed and being all alone in a dingy shed in Garrido’s back garden.

In a way it was a blessing in disguise, as it gave the then innocent young girl hope and companionship during her 18 year ordeal.

"She was beautiful. I felt like I wasn't alone anymore," stated Miss Dugard.
"(I) had somebody else who was mine and I wasn't alone and I knew I could never let anything happen to her."

Jaycee Dugard’s nightmare ordeal finally came to an end in 2009, when Garrido opted to bring her and her daughters to a parole meeting, before being found out by police. Garrido has since been jailed for 431 years, with his wife Nancy also facing a life imprisonment behind bars.

This almost miracle-like story, has provided the McCann’s with fresh optimism and hope as they continue their worldwide search for Madeleine.

“Once again this shows that children can sometimes disappear off the radar only to be found years later alive” stated the McCann’s.

''It emphasizes that we should never assume that someone is not alive without any evidence to support this. We should never give up

''This case only makes us more determined to find Madeleine. She is out there somewhere and somebody knows where.''

Dave Edgar, an Ulster detective leading the hunt for Madeleine, fears that she may have suffered a similar fate to that of Miss Dugard’s. Edgar strongly believes that Madeleine is also imprisoned somewhere. He believes the reappearances of the Austrian cellar girls Natascha Kampush and Elisabeth Fritzl, provide evidence to his suspicions.

“Maddie is most likely being held captive, possibly in an underground cellar, just like Natascha or Elisabeth, and could emerge at any time,” stated Edgar in an interview with the independent newspapers.

Upon learning of Jaycee Dugard escape he stated; “This just supports my theory that Maddie is alive and imprisoned.

When asked about his continued hope in finding Madeleine, he replied: “I don’t know. We could still be sitting here in 10 years.

“If Maddie is being held, she may be being brought up to speak a different language and not even remember her own name or where she was from.

“All we can do is try and keep public awareness high – and try and reach as much of that mountainous region outside the resort as we can.”

The search for Madeleine continues.