Elizabeth Smart, a name synonymous with resilience, carries a chilling secret beyond her widely known abduction. Her captor, Brian David Mitchell, wasn’t driven by a single act of evil, but a terrifying, escalating plan – to build a horrifying “family” through kidnapping.
“He said to me, ‘She’s supposed to be the next wife,’” Smart recalled, the memory still raw decades later. Mitchell envisioned abducting seven young girls, each destined to become his bride, and she was merely the first. The revelation struck her with a sickening dread, a feeling of responsibility she hadn’t anticipated.
The planned abduction of her cousin, Olivia Wright, was meticulously detailed. Mitchell targeted a state holiday, anticipating the cover of fireworks and celebrations. He believed the chaos would provide the perfect opportunity to snatch Olivia, solidifying his twisted vision.
Smart felt a crushing guilt, haunted by the thought that she had inadvertently directed Mitchell towards Olivia. The knowledge that her words could endanger another life was a burden almost too heavy to bear. She desperately wished she could shield others from the horrors she endured.
Before the attempt, Mitchell had been stalking Olivia’s home, studying the property. He’d once worked as a handyman for the Smart family, granting him unsettling familiarity with their neighborhood and routines. This knowledge fueled his calculated plan, turning a trusted presence into a terrifying threat.
He prepared to abduct Olivia, justifying his actions as a divine commandment. Under the cover of darkness, he scaled a chair to reach her bedroom window, testing for an opening. The subtle sounds of falling trinkets from the windowsill nearly alerted the household, narrowly averting disaster.
Her uncle’s swift reaction – a panicked scream upon discovering the intrusion – was enough to scare Mitchell away. It was a close call, a terrifying reminder of how easily another life could have been irrevocably altered. The attempt failed, but the threat remained.
Elizabeth Smart’s abduction began on June 5, 2002, when she was just 14 years old. Taken at knifepoint from her Salt Lake City home, she was held captive in a remote, dilapidated campsite alongside Mitchell and his accomplice, Wanda Barzee.
The initial moments of captivity were brutal. Barzee attempted to strip Smart, while Mitchell declared their union before “God and His angels.” When Smart screamed in protest, she was met with a chilling threat – her life would be forfeit if she didn’t comply.
For nine agonizing months, Smart endured unimaginable torment. She was bound, repeatedly assaulted, and confined to a dark, filthy space. She was forced to witness disturbing acts and subjected to degrading treatment, her spirit relentlessly tested.
Ironically, talking about her family offered a fleeting sense of connection, a momentary escape from the isolation. She spoke of Olivia Wright, her best friend, clinging to the hope of rescue and reunion. But this innocent conversation proved devastatingly dangerous.
She soon realized her mistake. Mitchell revealed his intention to make Olivia his next wife, a horrifying confirmation of her worst fears. The brief comfort she’d found in reminiscing about her loved ones was replaced by a paralyzing dread.
A desperate, conflicting emotion surfaced within Smart – a twisted desire for Mitchell to succeed in kidnapping Olivia, simply to end her own unbearable loneliness. The thought was repulsive, yet understandable, a testament to the psychological manipulation she endured.
Mitchell’s failed attempt to abduct Olivia left him frustrated, but not defeated. He returned to the campsite, convinced he wasn’t yet worthy of another “virgin bride.” Smart remained captive, grappling with guilt and the constant fear for her cousin’s safety.
Every decision Smart made was driven by survival. Resistance meant certain death, or worse, harm to her family. She learned to navigate the terrifying landscape of her captivity, playing the role her captors demanded while secretly yearning for freedom.
She lived with the constant threat of violence, both against herself and her loved ones. Mitchell controlled her through fear, demanding absolute obedience and crushing any glimmer of hope. She clung to the belief that someone, somewhere, was looking for her.
The turning point came when an episode of “America’s Most Wanted” aired, featuring Smart’s story. A couple recognized her while she was walking with Mitchell and Barzee, leading to her miraculous rescue on March 12, 2003.
Mitchell was eventually convicted in 2010 and sentenced to life in prison. Barzee pleaded guilty and was released in 2018. Despite the enduring trauma, Elizabeth Smart emerged as a powerful advocate for child safety and a beacon of hope for survivors.
“You never know how strong you are until you go through something horrific,” Smart reflects. “You can never lose hope. You can never give up on yourself. Even through the worst of our experience, there is still good ahead. And life is still worth living.”
