Elizabeth Smart: Kidnapped at 14 & held captive for 9 months

The Unplanned Podcast with Matt & Abby

Matt & Abby

Society & Culture

4.8 • 16.7K Ratings

🗓️ 8 April 2026

⏱️ 80 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

TRIGGER WARNING This episode contains detailed discussions/depictions of sexual assault and rape involving minors. We understand this material is deeply disturbing and can be triggering for survivors. Please prioritize your well-being. This episode is sponsored by Shopify, Ladder, and Cash App. Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at https://shopify.com/unplanned Ladder: If you have an iPhone, go to https://ladder.fit/unplanned to take a quick quiz and get a free 7-day trial with no credit card required, plus $10 off your first month if you join. Cash App: Download Cash App Today: https://capl.onelink.me/vFut/kssum24w #CashAppPod. Cash App is a financial services platform, not a bank. Banking services provided by Cash App’s bank partner(s). Prepaid debit cards issued by Sutton Bank, Member FDIC. See terms and conditions at https://cash.app/legal/us/en-us/card-agreement. Cash App Green, overdraft coverage, borrow, cash back offers and promotions provided by Cash App, a Block, Inc. brand. Visit http://cash.app/legal/podcast for full disclosures. In today’s episode, we’re joined by Elizabeth Smart — and her story is one of both unimaginable hardship and incredible hope. After being kidnapped at 14 and held captive for nine months, Elizabeth has gone on to build a beautiful life — as a wife, a mother, and a powerful advocate for survivors. We talk about what healing has looked like for her, how she learned to move forward after trauma, and what it’s been like to find love and create a family of her own. We also dive into what fuels her advocacy, the impact she hopes to make, and her perspective on forgiveness. Elizabeth's IG: Elizabeth_Smart_Official https://www.elizabethsmartfoundation.org/ If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, support is available and healing is possible. You can reach the RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-HOPE (4673) or connect online at rainn.org. Or call 911. Reporting can save a life. Follow The Unplanned Podcast: https://www.instagram.com/unplanned__podcast/ https://www.tiktok.com/@unplanned_podcast Listen to the pod on Spotify / Apple Podcasts: https://open.spotify.com/show/1ToDA4ufQuWuEgMq07zN6t https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-unplanned-podcast/id1669604504 Follow Matt & Abby: Abby's Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/abbyelizabethoward/ Matt's Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/_matt_howard_/ TikTok | https://www.tiktok.com/@matt_and_abby Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/mattandabb YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@MattandAbby Chapters: 00:36 - Choosing to share my story 04:51 - The night of the kidnapping 09:20 - what kept me going 12:17 - changing mentality around victims 20:06 - How to talk to your kids 26:31 - Accusing my family 28:22 - Victims and the justice system 37:53 - Forgiveness 40:28 - Finding out my captor was released 45:35 - Why I didn't run 51:51 - Trauma responses 55:02 - What the documentary left out 59:06 - Counting the days 01:02:02 - Concern of pregnancy 01:04:01 - Telling my story to my children 01:09:41 - Intimacy after sexual trauma 01:16:53 - Clinging to my childhood 01:20:57 - Supporting survivors through my foundation Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	You were so many times. Was there ever just a point where you just like, I'm just going to lay back and enjoy it?
0:05.8	Elizabeth Smart.
0:07.0	Elizabeth Smart.
0:08.0	Brian David Mitchell broke into their home and kidnapped Elizabeth.
0:12.0	What were the words that you heard that woke you up?
0:14.0	I have a knife at your neck. Don't make a sound get up and come with me.
0:17.0	Smart says she was repeatedly each day during her ordeal was there ever a concern of
0:23.0	pregnancy of course I'm a very late bloomer you started while you were
0:27.1	the man is Brian David Mitchell claims to hear the voice of God is it worth
0:32.0	surviving for everyone to look at me differently is it worth surviving if
0:35.9	nobody is ever gonna love me or want to be with me how does the teaching in surviving if nobody is ever going to love me or want
0:37.9	to be with me? How does the teaching in the church need a change?
0:41.0	I really don't care what your beliefs are. You have to teach the other side.
0:45.1	Did you forgive your captors? I think I probably have my own definition of forgiveness.
0:52.2	Trigger warning. This episode contains detailed discussions and depictions of sexual assault and
0:56.7	involving minors.
0:57.7	We understand this material is deeply disturbing and can be triggering for survivors.
1:01.5	Please prioritize your well-being.
1:02.9	If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, support is available and healing
1:06.4	is possible.
1:07.1	You can reach the Rain National Sexual Assault hotline at 800656 hope or connects online at
1:13.2	rain.org. Reporting can save a life. Elizabeth, welcome to unplanned. Thanks for being here.
	...

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