In the early afternoon, of December 29, 1961, a train left Dallas, Texas heading west. The route would take it through the heart of downtown Abilene, Texas. Around the same time, two army wives in Abilene, Darlene Alfano and Pinky Johnson gathered up their children for a trip into town. At around 2:00 p.m., Pinky and Darlene and the 5 children were heading north on Shelton Street, towards the center of town. No one knows how or why it happened, but the car ended up stalled, right in the middle of the train tracks which ran through the center of the street. Moments later, the vehicle was struck by an oncoming train.

The car was literally torn to shreds, its roof completely sheared off. The human toll was incalculable. Patricia Alfano, LaDonna's 3 year-old sister was killed instantly. One of Pinky Johnson's two sons died that same night. Within three days, LaDonna's twin sister, 5 1/2 year-old Rosalinda, and her mother, Darlene, also succumbed to their injuries. Fred Alfano now found himself almost completely alone. He had lost his wife and two of his children. His other child, LaDonna, had survived, but was barely hanging on. LaDonna had suffered catastrophic injuries to her face and head. But against all odds, she began to recover.

Two weeks passed before Fred could bring himself to tell LaDonna about her mother and sisters. Over the years, father and daughter provided each other with the strength to survive the tragedy. LaDonna eventually underwent a series of reconstructive surgeries on her face. But there was one thing the operations could not correct, the loss of her mother, Darlene. Although she can remember her sisters, LaDonna has no memories of her mother at all. Compounding LaDonna's heartbreak was the fact that her father had only met her mother's family a few times. Eventually, what little contact they did have, ceased altogether.

LaDonna has searched for years for a connection to her past, and to fill the holes of missing her mother. One of the only clues LaDonna has is a letter she received from her maternal grandfather, Stanley Hintz, when she was 13 years old. It contained a photograph of her mother's sister, LaDonna's aunt, Patricia Anne Hintz. The photograph was taken around 1968. Patricia was last known to be living in the Chicago, Illinois area, where she may have been working as a nurse. She is believed to be married with 2 children, a son and a daughter. Today, Patricia would be in her late 50's. LaDonna believes that finding her aunt may finally rekindle her memories of the mother she lost so tragically. UPDATE: LaDonna Alfano's search for her mother Darlene's family ended moments after the broadcast, when an Unsolved Mysteries viewer, a former neighbor of LaDonna's maternal grandparents, Stanley and Gerta Hintz, called the Unsolved Mysteries phone center with information on how to reach them. Minutes later, as LaDonna excitedly attempted to call them, Stanley Hintz himself was contacting the phone center. The two were immediately connected in an emotional phone conversation for the first time in almost 34 years. Later in the evening, LaDonna also happily spoke for the very first time with her mother's only surviving sibling, her aunt, Patricia Ann Hintz Hofer.

LaDonna was thrilled to learn from both her Aunt Pat and her grandparents that they had been looking for her as well. In fact, only two days before our broadcast, the three had discussed renewing their search for LaDonna. For Stanley Hintz, who is now 87 years old, finding his long lost granddaughter was a dream come true. At the time this update was compiled, reunion plans were excitedly being made. LaDonna was hopeful that the emotional wounds caused by her mother's tragic death may then finally begin to heal.

LaDonna Alfano (left) was just a little girl when her mother and two sisters died in a tragic accident. Thanks to Unsolved Mysteries, she has been reunited with her aunt, Patricia Anne Hintz (above right, approximately 1968), and her maternal grandparents.