Elizabeth Smart Shares Healing Journey at Free Wisconsin Event

Twenty-three years after her rescue, Elizabeth Smart is turning her survival story into a message of hope for communities facing trauma.

The bestselling author and child safety advocate will share her journey at 7 p.m. on April 7 at Sentry Theater in Stevens Point. Mid-State Technical College is hosting the free event, which requires registration at mstc.edu/elizabeth-smart.

Smart was 14 when she was abducted from her Salt Lake City home in 2002. She endured nine months of captivity before police rescued her just 18 miles from where she was taken.

Her presentation, "From Survival to Strength: Resilience in the Face of Trauma," focuses on a powerful truth: our past is part of our story, but it doesn't define our future. Smart will discuss overcoming extreme adversity and finding purpose even in life's most difficult chapters.

Why This Inspires

Smart transformed personal tragedy into meaningful change. Her advocacy helped shape the National AMBER Alert and the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act, protecting countless children across America.

She founded the Elizabeth Smart Foundation, now part of the Malouf Foundation, which works to end sexual violence through prevention and recovery programs. Her practical guidance helps individuals and families navigate their own paths to healing.

Smart's story recently reached new audiences through the January 2025 Netflix documentary "Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart." The film features exclusive firsthand accounts from Smart, her family, and the investigators who brought her home.

The Stevens Point event offers a rare opportunity to hear directly from someone who has walked through unimaginable darkness and emerged with hope to share.