In this episode of pplpod, we explore the harrowing and inspiring journey of Elizabeth Smart. We revisit the headlines from June 2002, when 14-year-old Smart was abducted at knifepoint from her Salt Lake City bedroom and held captive for nine months by Brian David Mitchell and Wanda Barzee. We discuss the brutal reality of her captivity, including daily assault and threats of death, leading up to her miraculous rescue in Sandy, Utah, in 2003.

Beyond her survival, we examine Smart’s evolution into a prominent child safety activist, ABC News commentator, and founder of the Elizabeth Smart Foundation. Listen in as we cover her candid criticism of abstinence-only education—specifically the damaging "chewed gum" analogy she encountered in her youth—and her advocacy for victims to recognize their own value. Finally, we look at her recent work producing Lifetime films about other survivors and her personal life as a harpist, mother, and former missionary.