Elizabeth Smart Reflects On Her Journey Since 2002 Abduction

WORLD ENTERTAIMENT CHANNEL

Transcript

00:00 You beautifully, very eloquently posted

00:02 about the 20th anniversary milestone of your rescue

00:05 and you said, "I'm so grateful for my experiences

00:07 "and the path it has led me down."

00:09 How have you gotten to that really

00:12 incredible place of gratitude?

00:14 - When I go back and almost reverse my story

00:17 and look at the different paths it's taken me,

00:20 then I try to imagine what my life would've been

00:23 had I never been kidnapped.

00:25 I just feel like chances are

00:27 I wouldn't have met my husband,

00:29 which meant I wouldn't have the children that I have.

00:32 I wouldn't be involved in something in this work,

00:34 in this cause of anti-sexual exploitation

00:37 that I feel so incredibly passionate about,

00:40 although I'd never want to repeat it.

00:41 I'm not sorry it happened to me

00:43 because I wouldn't have this life otherwise.

00:46 - You know, your Instagram bio acknowledges yourself

00:49 as a survivor, a mother, a wife.

00:52 I'm curious to know, motherhood,

00:54 how has that most changed your life?

00:56 - I had no idea how hard it was going to be.

00:59 Before having kids, I mean, I came from a large family.

01:02 I was always like, "It's okay, I've got this."

01:04 And then I had my own kids and I'm like,

01:06 "I know I got this."

01:07 I love you more than anything, but I'm so tired.

01:09 - We have a new student in the class.

01:13 Please welcome Elizabeth Thomas.

01:16 - Now, Elizabeth Smart is executive producing

01:18 the new Lifetime movie,

01:19 "Abducted by My Teacher, The Elizabeth Thomas Story."

01:23 Thomas was only 15 years old when she was kidnapped

01:25 by a respected teacher in the community.

01:28 After a month-long nationwide search,

01:30 they were found and Elizabeth was returned home.

01:33 Smart is also executive producing a documentary

01:35 on Thomas's entire experience.

01:37 In what ways did you connect with her?

01:39 - Although our stories are different,

01:42 there are a lot of similarities.

01:45 I mean, her story had national attention.

01:48 - Had Cummins arrested in Northern California

01:51 and Elizabeth Thomas safe?

01:53 - My story had national attention.

01:55 - Elizabeth Smart is apparently alive.

01:58 - And she's told me how people have reacted to her

02:02 in her community.

02:04 And it has, they haven't always been positive,

02:07 which to me is heartbreaking

02:09 because for the vast majority,

02:11 I have always had so much support

02:13 and I haven't been doubted.

02:15 Whereas Elizabeth Thomas,

02:18 she has been accused of seducing her teacher.

02:21 That is so unfair for her.

02:25 - And of course, Elizabeth's mission now

02:27 is to prevent these horrible stories

02:29 from happening in the first place.

02:30 - What's one easy tip that you would give to parents

02:33 to keep their kids safe?

02:34 - I'd say talk to them.

02:35 - Talk to them.

02:36 - Talk to them.

02:37 Help them to know that they can come and tell you anything

02:41 and that you aren't going to overreact.

02:46 - Please welcome Elizabeth Thomas.

02:48 - Tell me a little bit about what stood out

02:50 about Elizabeth's story.

02:52 What made you feel like this was one

02:53 that you wanted to share?

02:54 - Well, I remember when it happened.

02:55 I mean, I remember watching it through the news.

02:57 I remember watching when she was rescued.

02:59 - Had Cummins arrested in Northern California

03:02 and Elizabeth Thomas safe.

03:04 - I remember even that for me to some degree triggered

03:08 what it was like when I was rescued.

03:10 And I remember just kind of almost reliving

03:14 what I experienced,

03:15 just kind of thinking about what she was going through.

03:18 And then a couple of years ago, our paths crossed

03:21 and she had started talking to me,

03:23 doing some kind of project like this.

03:25 I was like, well, like I've done this before.

03:29 Like, if you want to do it with me,

03:31 because I feel like I have been on the other end

03:34 where I've looked at things that have been portrayed about me

03:37 and I've been like, that's not right.

03:40 - That's not accurate.

03:41 - That's not accurate.

03:42 And I never want any other survivor to feel that way.

03:47 And so she has been a huge voice over this whole project.

03:52 - I see myself fighting for other victims

03:55 and being a support person.

03:59 - You also paired her with the documentary.

04:01 Why was that important to do?

04:03 I think it was a very empowering thing

04:06 for her to sit down and talk about what happened

04:09 in her own words,

04:10 and really being able to dive a little bit deeper

04:12 into grooming.

04:13 She was vulnerable when she first entered this situation.

04:17 The teacher who was alerted to her vulnerability

04:21 exploited that vulnerability.

04:24 And it was almost a classic case of grooming

04:27 where it was just initially so innocent, just befriending.

04:31 And then it just grew and grew and grew

04:34 until eventually he kidnapped her.

04:35 - Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?

04:39 - I want to help other people get where I am

04:41 in my healing journey and not have those daily triggers

04:45 or those daily panic attacks.

04:47 - She wanted other survivors or other victims

04:50 to know that they're not alone

04:52 and that you can move forward and you can overcome.

04:56 - Has Elizabeth seen it?

04:58 - So she actually, like me,

05:02 she can't just sit and watch it from beginning to end.

05:05 And I felt the same way with my movie, with my documentary.

05:09 I mean, I said it was the best worst movie I ever saw.

05:13 I mean, it was so accurate that it was terrible.

05:17 And I think I could say Elizabeth Thomas felt the same way.

05:23 (upbeat music)

05:26 (upbeat music)

05:29 (upbeat music)

05:31 (upbeat music)

05:34 (upbeat music)

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