( CNN ) -- Jaycee Dugard 's mother choked back tears as she described this week 's news that three long-missing women were found in Cleveland . The dramatic story hit close to home . `` Another miracle happened yesterday . Three girls are alive , '' Terry Probyn said , speaking at a National Center for Missing & Exploited Children awards gala in Washington . Nearly four years ago , Probyn lived through a similar struggle when she reunited with her daughter , Dugard , who was freed in 2009 after 18 years of captivity behind the home of a California couple . `` I have to tell you , we 're still grieving the loss of those 18 years , '' Probyn said Tuesday . `` That 's a long time to lose . But the good news is that we are together . And our family has formed a foundation as an avenue to pay forward the love and the care that we continue to receive . '' Because of the work of the JAYC Foundation , which aims to help families recovering from abduction and the aftermath of other traumatic events , Dugard and her mother received `` Hope Awards '' from the center at Tuesday night 's dinner . The event was scheduled long before Amanda Berry , Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight were found alive in Cleveland . But the timing made Tuesday 's award ceremony even more special , Dugard told the crowd . `` What an amazing time to be talking about hope , '' she said , `` with everything that 's happening . ''
Jaycee Dugard 's mother , Terry Probyn , says her family is `` still grieving '' and that she has no idea what happened to the girl.