The abduction of Elizabeth Smart was one of the most followed child abduction cases of our time. Fourteen-year-old Elizabeth was abducted on June 5, 2002, from her Salt Lake City home. 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 months.

Through this traumatic experience, Elizabeth has become an advocate for change related to child abduction, recovery programs and national legislation. Elizabeth's example and life now is a daily demonstration that there really is life after a tragic event. Her speech not only tells her story, but also discusses topics such as overcoming extreme adversity and not allowing your past to dictate your life's future.