Elizabeth Smart | Abduction Survivor and New York Times Best-Selling Author of "My Story"

Elizabeth Smart

Abduction Survivor and New York Times Best-Selling Author of "My Story"

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Salt Lake City, UT, US

Elizabeth Smart
Biography

The abduction of Elizabeth Smart was one of the most followed child abduction cases of our time. Elizabeth was abducted on June 5, 2002, and her captors controlled her by threatening to kill her and her family if she tried to escape. Fortunately, the police safely returned Elizabeth back to her family on March 12, 2003, after being held a prisoner for 9 grueling months.

Through this traumatic experience, Elizabeth has become an advocate for change related to child abduction, recovery programs, and National legislation. Elizabeth triumphantly testified before her captor and the world about the very private nightmare she suffered during her abduction, which led to conviction.

The Founder of the "Elizabeth Smart Foundation", Elizabeth has also helped promote The National AMBER Alert, The Adam Walsh Child Protection & Safety Act and other safety legislation to help prevent abductions.

Elizabeth has chronicled her experiences in the New York Times best-selling book, "My Story." In addition, she and other abduction survivors worked with the Department of Justice to create a survivors guide, entitled, "You're Not Alone: The Journey From Abduction to Empowerment." This guide is meant to encourage children who have gone through similar experiences not to give up but to know that there is hope for a rewarding life.

Elizabeth has recently released a new powerful and inspiring book about what it takes to overcome trauma, find the strength to move on, and reclaim one's life. "Where There's Hope" is the result of Elizabeth's mission: It is both an up-close-and-personal glimpse into her healing process and a heartfelt how-to guide for readers to make peace with the past and embrace the future.

Elizabeth's abduction and recovery continue to motivate parents, law enforcement and leaders worldwide to focus on children's safety. She emphasizes vigilance by "everyday" people and the belief that hope always exists to find every missing child.

Smart attended Brigham Young University, studying music as a harp performance major. She married her husband Matthew in 2012, and they now have two beautiful children. Elizabeth's example is a daily demonstration that there really is life after tragedy.

Elizabeth Smart
Featured Videos

Current: My Story: Elizabeth Smart at TEDxUniversityofNevada

Time 11:37

More Videos From Elizabeth Smart

My Story: Elizabeth Smart at TEDxUniversityofNevada
Time 11:37
Elizabeth's Story, A Meredith Vieira Special
Time 38:41
Pornography's Role In Her Abduction
Time 01:46
Elizabeth Interview
Time 25:41

Elizabeth Smart
Featured Keynote Programs

Overcoming Adversity
The Elizabeth Smart Story

The abduction of Elizabeth Smart was one of the most followed child abduction cases of our time. At the tender age of 14, just before celebrating her middle school graduation, Elizabeth went to sleep in her family home just as she had always done. Awakened hours later to a knife held roughly against her throat, she was taken from her home and family and held captive for nine long months. In this captivating message, Elizabeth shares her incredible story of perseverance in the face of unimaginable adversity. Her speech not only tells her personal story, but also discusses topics such as overcoming extreme adversity, the importance and process of recovery, and not allowing your past to dictate your life's future. Elizabeth knows that there is nothing more important than having hope in a difficult situation. Having lived through an extreme circumstance as a young teenager, Elizabeth gives great insight and hope to all.

Smart Talks
I’ve Never Told Anyone

The session includes Elizabeth, a psychologist and Elizabeth’s father Ed in addition to an emcee. It is an interactive program for college students to discuss issues associated around women empowerment, rape and dating.

Elizabeth Smart
Featured Books

My Storyby Elizabeth Smart

My Story

by Elizabeth Smart

The harrowing true story of abduction and survival from the courageous young woman who lived it--now the subject of a Lifetime original movie, I Am Elizabeth Smart.

In this memoir, Elizabeth Smart reveals how she survived and the secret to forging a new life in the wake of a brutal crime. On June 5, 2002, fourteen-year-old Elizabeth Smart, the daughter of a close-knit Mormon family, was taken from her home in the middle of the night by religious fanatic Brian David Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Barzee. Elizabeth was kept chained, dressed in disguise, repeatedly raped, and told she and her family would be killed if she tried to escape. After her rescue on March 12, 2003, she rejoined her family and worked to pick up the pieces of her life.

With My Story, Elizabeth tells of the constant fear she endured every hour, her courageous determination to maintain hope, and how she devised a plan to manipulate her captors and convinced them to return to Utah, where she was rescued minutes after arriving. Smart explains how her faith helped her stay sane in the midst of a nightmare and how she found the strength to confront her captors at their trial and see that justice was served.

In the years after her rescue, Smart transformed from victim to advocate, traveling the country and working to educate, inspire and foster change. She has created a foundation to help prevent crimes against children and is a frequent public speaker. She and her husband, Matthew Gilmour, now have two children.

Where There's Hopeby Elizabeth Smart

Where There's Hope

by Elizabeth Smart

Elizabeth Smart follows up her #1 New York Times bestseller (October 2013), My Story--about being held in captivity as a teenager, and how she managed to survive--with a powerful and inspiring book about what it takes to overcome trauma, find the strength to move on, and reclaim one's life.

Author. Activist. Victim--no more.

In her fearless memoir, My Story--the basis of the Lifetime Original movie I Am Elizabeth Smart--Elizabeth detailed, for the first time, the horror behind the headlines of her abduction by religious fanatic Brian David Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Barzee. Since then, she's married, become a mother, and travelled the world as the president of the Elizabeth Smart Foundation, sharing her story with the intent of helping others along the way.

Over and over, Elizabeth is asked the same question: How do you find the hope to go on? In this book, Elizabeth returns to the horrific experiences she endured, and the hard-won lessons she learned, to provide answers. She also calls upon others who have dealt with adversity--victims of violence, disease, war, and loss--to explore the pathways toward hope. Through conversations with such well-known voices as Anne Romney, Diane von Furstenburg, and Mandy Patinkin to spiritual leaders Archbishop John C. Wester and Elder Richard Hinckley to her own parents, Elizabeth uncovers an even greater sense of solace and understanding. Where There's Hope is the result of Elizabeth's mission: It is both an up-close-and-personal glimpse into her healing process and a heartfelt how-to guide for readers to make peace with the past and embrace the future.

From the book:
"I was not willing to accept that my fate was to live unhappily ever after. Everything--my family, my home, my chance to go to school--had been given back to me, and I didn't want to miss a second chance of living my own life." --Elizabeth Smart

"There are two types of survivors: the ones who did not die, and the ones who live. There will be those who will always remember and be the victim, and ones who just won't. You have to go on, you have to learn, and you have to heal." --Diane von Furstenberg

Elizabeth Smart
Featured Reviews

Elizabeth Smart
Featured Articles & Resources

Elizabeth Smart | Fight Like Girls 'Intro Night'

Bre Lasley and her sister Kayli Lasley both survived a horrific attack in their Salt Lake City home after an intruder forced his way into their home through an open window....
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Elizabeth Smart's Fight Against Human Trafficking [VIDEO]

Twelve years ago, Elizabeth Smart was abducted, raped and held in captivity for nine months. Now she is teaming up with a group that sets up stings to free children and...
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Elizabeth Smart Empowers Women With Survival Story

Written by Kimberly Ripley Elizabeth Smart will forever be remembered as the little Mormon girl from Utah, who was abducted in the middle of the night, held captive, and raped...
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Topics:   Author Motivational

How to Keep Your Children Safe: A Call to Action From Elizabeth Smart

One of our exclusive speakers, Elizabeth Smart, has partnered with Alicia Kozakiewicz to raise awareness about the urgency to save exploited and missing children. They have...
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Elizabeth Smart Shares Hope For Human Trafficking Victims

Written by Jared Ransom Empowering the victims of sexual abuse and human trafficking is one of the goals of law enforcement and healthcare leaders, and a national face of...
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Elizabeth Smart Discusses Kidnapping of the Nigerian Girls and More

Elizabeth Smart, a former child abductee turned activist, talks to the WSJ’s Lee Hawkins about the kidnappings in Nigeria, strategies for overcoming extreme adversity, how she...
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