Shivangi Sinha
The kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart in 2002 became one of the most closely followed criminal cases in the country. Abducted at age 14 from her Salt Lake City home, her disappearance sparked a massive, months-long search that drew national attention and reshaped conversations around missing children. Smart was rescued nine months later, having survived captivity at the hands of Brian David Mitchell and Wanda Barzee. In the years since, she has transformed her trauma into advocacy and become a prominent voice for survivors. Her journey and resilience are powerfully revisited in Netflix’s ‘Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart,’ where she courageously shares her story.
Elizabeth Smart Was Held Captive for 9 Months After Being Abducted From Her Bedroom
Elizabeth Smart was born on November 3, 1987, to Edward “Ed” and Lois Smart and was raised in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was the second-oldest of six children and had a particularly close bond with her younger sister, Mary Katherine Smart, with whom she shared a bedroom. The Smart family was a devout member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and Elizabeth was actively involved, including singing in church choirs. A student at Bryant Middle School, she was regarded as a bright young girl with her future ahead of her. On the night of June 5, 2002, Elizabeth was abducted from her bedroom while her sister witnessed her being taken at knifepoint.
For the next nine months, Elizabeth was held captive and abused by Brian David Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Barzee, who kept her hidden in the mountains of Utah. She was forced to wear a headdress that concealed her face and, despite being taken through familiar streets and public places in Utah, remained unseen as the search for her continued. Elizabeth later described living in constant terror, feeling trapped by threats made against her and her family, and believing escape was impossible. During the investigation, it was her younger sister, Mary Katherine, who provided crucial details that helped police create a sketch of the perpetrator and gave the search a clearer direction.
Elizabeth later revealed that her captor had been planning to leave the state, but she convinced him to remain in Utah by framing it as a directive from God. Mitchell told her that she was his wife and that she would spend the rest of her life with him. At Elizabeth’s urging, the three returned to Utah, where they were stopped by a police officer on a public street in Sandy, Utah, leading to her rescue. She was taken to a police station, reunited with her father, and finally brought home. The years that followed were deeply challenging, but time with her family proved healing. In 2009 and 2010, she testified against Mitchell and helped secure his conviction.
Elizabeth Smart is Spearheading an Advocacy Organization in Her Own Name Today
Elizabeth Smart understood early on that confronting her abuser was unavoidable, but she drew strength from a clear purpose: she did not want any other girl to suffer what she had endured. Even as legal proceedings were delayed, she began charting a path rooted in advocacy, education, and public service from a very young age. On March 8, 2006, Elizabeth addressed the US Congress in support of sexual predator legislation and the AMBER Alert system. Later that year, on July 26, 2006, she spoke at an event following the signing of the Adam Walsh Act. While continuing her advocacy, she pursued her education at Brigham Young University, where she earned a Bachelor of Music degree in harp performance.
In November 2009, she left Salt Lake City to serve as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Paris, returning in November 2010 as preparations for trial resumed and ultimately concluding her mission in early 2011. Smart also used public platforms to speak about resilience and recovery. In October 2009, she addressed the Women’s Conference hosted by Maria Shriver in California, speaking about overcoming life’s obstacles. In 2011, she formally established the Elizabeth Smart Foundation, an organization dedicated to ending the victimization and exploitation of sexual assault through prevention, recovery, and advocacy.
Today, Elizabeth remains deeply engaged in advocacy as a keynote speaker and an active leader of the Elizabeth Smart Foundation. The foundation runs several impactful programs, including Smart Defense, a holistic self-defense initiative emphasizing sexual violence prevention alongside martial arts techniques; Smart Talks, a podcast she hosts; We Believe You, a storytelling and awareness initiative; and a Survivor Support Fund. In October 2025, she was invited to speak at the Divine Daughter: Expect Miracles in Layton, Utah. She has been
Elizabeth Smart is Using Her Voice as a Speaker and Author
In 2011, Elizabeth Smart was honored with the Diane von Furstenberg Award and announced as an ABC News contributor, where she served as a commentator with a focus on missing-persons cases. In 2012, Theta Phi Alpha awarded her the Siena Medal, the highest honor the organization grants to a non-member. Her advocacy expanded through writing and media. In 2013, she published her memoir ‘My Story,’ co-written with Chris Stewart. In February 2014, she testified before the Utah State House of Representatives in support of HB 286, legislation aimed at strengthening protections and responses related to sexual violence. That year, she also delivered a TEDx talk at the University of Nevada.
Her story reached wider audiences through the 2017 Lifetime film ‘I Am Elizabeth Smart,’ which she followed by producing additional Lifetime features like ‘The Girl Who Escaped: The Kara Robinson Story’ and ‘The Girl Locked Upstairs: The Tanya Kach Story.’ In 2018, she published ‘Where There’s Hope: Healing, Moving Forward, and Never Giving Up,’ and in December 2025, she released her third book, ‘Detours.’ Alongside her advocacy work, Smart has also embraced a digital presence, collaborating with brands and partnerships, including Hungryroot. Still, advocacy remains her primary focus. She consistently uses her platform to speak out on relevant and difficult issues, including high-profile cases such as Jeffrey Epstein and the conviction of Ghislaine Maxwell, while publicly affirming her support for survivors.
Elizabeth Smart is Raising Three Kids With Her Husband in Utah Today
Elizabeth Smart was in Paris when she first met Matthew Gilmour, a native of Scotland. The two dated for about a year before marrying on February 18, 2012, in a private ceremony at the temple in Laie, Hawaii. They later settled in Salt Lake City, Utah, where they built a life together and welcomed three children, Chloe, James, and Olivia. Their eldest turned 10 in 2025. Smart celebrated her 38th birthday in November 2025 and has spoken openly about feeling content and grateful for where life has led her. Family remains central to her world.
In September 2025, Smart and her husband traveled to Venice, Italy, and earlier that year, in June, the family took a memorable trip to Scotland with their children. She is also deeply invested in her physical well-being. In 2024, she completed a marathon, reflecting her commitment to fitness and personal strength. Balancing family life, public advocacy, and personal growth, she continues to move forward with a sense of purpose. She is grounded in the life she has created and the impact she continues to make.
Read More: Linae and Tricia Tiede: Where Are the Kidnapping Survivors Now?
