As she prepares to bare her soul in a powerful new documentary, Elizabeth Smart is opening up about the quiet shame she carried after surviving one of the most harrowing crimes in recent American history.
Now 38, Smart revealed she felt “embarrassed” by what she endured and feared she would be judged after her rescue — emotions that left her feeling isolated at a time when the nation was celebrating her survival.
Smart was just 14 years old when she was kidnapped at knifepoint from her bedroom in Salt Lake City on June 5, 2002. She was held captive for nine months by Brian David Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Barzee, enduring repeated sexual assaults before being rescued in March 2003.
Her nightmare ended after a passerby recognized the group walking in Sandy, Utah, having seen Smart’s case featured on America’s Most Wanted, and alerted police.
While the country rejoiced at her safe return, Smart says the aftermath was emotionally devastating — especially within the context of her devout Mormon upbringing.
“After I was rescued, I was very embarrassed by what had happened to me,” Smart said in a new interview published Thursday, January 15. “Even though my head totally knew it wasn’t my fault, I couldn’t make my heart feel the same way. I felt I’d be judged for it. I ended up feeling very alone and very isolated.”
Her experience — including being raped multiple times a day and often tethered to a tree — is explored in raw detail in the new Netflix documentary Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart, which premieres January 21.
The film features never-before-seen archival footage and, for the first time, Smart speaks candidly about the psychological toll of captivity — and the difficult road to reclaiming her life afterward.
“I want survivors to know they are not alone,” Smart said. “There’s so many of us. And I want people who have never experienced this to get a taste of what it’s really like — the depth of fear — to be forced to do things you would never do. There’s a purpose to sharing my story.”
Mitchell was convicted in 2010 of interstate kidnapping and transporting a minor across state lines for sexual purposes and was sentenced to life in prison. Barzee pleaded guilty in 2009 and was released early from her 15-year sentence in 2018 after cooperating with prosecutors.
Despite the trauma, Smart’s story is ultimately one of resilience. The founder of the Elizabeth Smart Foundation hopes the documentary offers both understanding and hope.
“I hope survivors realize they don’t have to be ashamed of what happened to them,” she told Netflix’s Tudum. “And I hope others gain compassion for families who are going through this.”
Smart went on to marry Matthew Gilmour in 2012, and the couple now shares three children.
The documentary also includes participation from her father, Ed Smart, and her younger sister, Mary Katherine, who witnessed the abduction. Her mother, Lois Smart, chose not to take part.
“Some members of my family want to leave things in the past,” Elizabeth said. “And personally, that’s okay with me. I want to respect their wishes.”
Still, Smart hopes her story sends a message that even after unimaginable horror, healing — and happiness — are possible.
“Even after terrible things happen,” she said, “you can still have a wonderful life.”
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What's Up Today Editorial Team
I am so happy for Elizabeth ! remember so
well when she was kidnapped. Thank God
for the person who recognized her and
those creeps who kidnapped her! That beautiful young girl, now a beautiful
young lady has nothing to be ashamed of!
I am so glad that evil man who kidnapped and raped her is spending the remainder of his life in prison! Enjoy our life Elizabeth
with your husband and three children.
You were and still are a brave your lady
and may God Bless You, always🙏♥️