<p>The abduction of Elizabeth Smart was one of the most followed child abduction cases of our time.</p><p> 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 prisoner for nine grueling months.Through this traumatic experience, Elizabeth has become an advocate for change related to child abduction, sexual abuse, human trafficking, recovery programs, and national legislation.</p><p>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 <em>New York Times</em> best-selling book, <em>My Story.</em> In addition, she and other abduction survivors worked with the Department of Justice to create a survivor's guide, entitled, <em>You're Not Alone: The Journey From Abduction to Empowerment.</em> 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.</p><p>In 2018, Elizabeth wrote a powerful and inspiring book, <em>Where There’s Hope, </em>which 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. Her advocacy reached a massive global audience in January 2026 with the release of the top-ten Netflix documentary, <em>Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart. </em>In the film, Elizabeth offers an unsparing and frank look at her ordeal, providing new context and never-before-seen material to empower other survivors to shed the weight of shame.</p><p>Her most recent literary work, <em>Detours: Hope & Growth After Life's Hardest Turns</em> (released in December 2025), is a memoir-meets-guide empowering readers to navigate life's detours, embrace resilience, and find healing and purpose after adversity. In Detours, she explores how trauma can derail one's path in life and shares her struggles with captivity, reintegration, and resilience, offering four key "Rest Stops" for navigating difficult turns.</p>
Inspirational Kidnapping Survivor, Founder of The Elizabeth Smart Foundation & New York Times Best-Selling Author of My Story
<ul><li><strong>Overcoming Extreme Adversity</strong></li><li>Elizabeth discusses how to endure unimaginable circumstances and find the courage to reclaim one’s life</li><li><strong>Hope and Recovery</strong></li><li>She shares her journey of healing, emphasizing that while her past is part of her story, it does not define her future.</li><li><strong>Child Safety & Prevention</strong></li><li>As a vocal advocate, she speaks on the importance of community vigilance and practical steps to help prevent child abductions.</li><li><strong>Empowerment</strong></li><li>Her message encourages victims to find their voice and for society to create a safe, supportive environment for survivors.</li><li><strong>Navigating the Unexpected</strong></li><li>Finding Hope and Purpose in Life’s Detours Elizabeth demonstrates the shift from victim to driver. The core of the message is that while we cannot control the "rockslides" (trauma, loss, sudden change), we are the only ones who can steer the vehicle through the unmapped terrain that follows.</li></ul>