Em Rusciano: "Last night I knew terror for a few hours that I hope to never feel again."

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Last night, Em Rusciano endured four of the hardest hours of her life.

The radio host and singer suffered the sickening experience of filing a missing persons report for her eldest daughter, 15-year-old Marchella.

“Last night I knew terror for a few hours that I hope to never feel again,” the 37-year-old, who is also mum to little Odette, five years Marchella’s junior, wrote on Facebook on Wednesday morning.

The “Versions of Me” singer said the incident occurred when her teenager faced the task of getting herself to athletics training on public transport for the first time.

“She wanted that independence, so we agreed to let her do it,” Em explained. “I asked her coach to let me know when she arrived, just so I knew, but she wouldn’t feel I was checking up on her.”

When Marchella didn’t arrive to practice, her mother tried to call her mobile. It was turned off.

“No one could find her,” her mum recounted. “I spoke to her friends, they checked all her social media accounts for me. Still, nothing.”

Perhaps most troubling was the fact that the incident was “completely out of character” for Marchella, who Em describes as “the most sensible, reliable, smart kid I’ve ever met”.

“No one had seen her since 4pm. It was 7:30pm.”

Em and husband Scott called police, and were forced to do something that’s enough to send a shiver down the spine of any parent – select a photo of their precious girl for authorities to circulate.

“I lost my mind,” Em told her 237,000 followers. “As it started to get dark I was having a complete out of body experience. My Mum and Dad came over, my best friend Lyndon came over, Scott was out searching.”

Just after 8pm, like something out of a “dream”, Marchella walked down the driveway, and into the arms of her grandmother.

“My Mum got to her first, and gave her a hug – I couldn’t make my legs work. Finally, I walked out to her and we both burst into tears. I couldn’t bring myself to let go.”

It turns out the hours that “felt like an eternity” for her mother were also traumatic for the schoolgirl, who had gotten lost after catching the wrong bus. To make matters worse, her phone battery had died, and she didn’t have any money. Somehow, she managed to find her way home all by herself.

“We’re all still shaken, I slept next to her for a few hours last night, trying not to let my mind wander.

“She’s fine, bounced out of bed this morning and headed off to school. I may take a few days more to recover.”

The popular media personality finished by thanking the Doncaster and Eltham police force.

We’re all sending you a big cuddle and cups of tea, Em, Marchella and the Rusciano family.