Elizabeth Smart: My Story

[Stargazer]

Elizabeth Smart's book about her experiences is coming out on Oct 7 2013.

 

My Story by Elizabeth Smart

 

NBC News story about her and announcing the book:

 

A decade after her rescue, Elizabeth Smart says, 'I didn't feel human'

[Buzzard]

Either that woman is the most reselient, tough minded person on the planet, or one day it will all come spilling out and it won't be pretty. I used to consider the latter inevitable, but with the passage of years, it looks like the former is the most likely explanation.

To go through what she had to endure and come out the other side "normal" is a testimony to her strength.

[BCSpace]

I've told this story before...My family was in Balboa Park when Smart was in San Diego with the Mitchell's.  Since they were dressed up in their robes, I was almost curious enough to ask what religion or religious order they were but did not.  He was pacing slowly ahead of the two women who were walking together.  I looked them in the eyes and saw nothing untoward and they looked at me.  We even stood next to them as we crossed a wooden bridge and looked over the side together.  Brian is a small man and all Elizabeth had to do was say something and I would have tossed him over the side or some such thing.  I'm sure most anyone in that park would have done the same.  We recognized them later by their dress when photo's of them in SLC came out after she was found.  Can't help but think that if only I was in tune some six months of additional captivity could have been avoided.

[thesometimesaint]

BCSpace:

 

Don't blame anyone but those that did that terrible act. We all tend to only see people in context. Change the context and they "disappear".

[Kenngo1969]

Either that woman is the most reselient, tough minded person on the planet, or one day it will all come spilling out and it won't be pretty. I used to consider the latter inevitable, but with the passage of years, it looks like the former is the most likely explanation.

To go through what she had to endure and come out the other side "normal" is a testimony to her strength.

And God's.  (And I would be tremendously surprised if she weren't the first to admit that.)

[Calm]

I've told this story before...My family was in Balboa Park when Smart was in San Diego with the Mitchell's.  Since they were dressed up in their robes, I was almost curious enough to ask what religion or religious order they were but did not.  He was pacing slowly ahead of the two women who were walking together.  I looked them in the eyes and saw nothing untoward and they looked at me.  We even stood next to them as we crossed a wooden bridge and looked over the side together.  Brian is a small man and all Elizabeth had to do was say something and I would have tossed him over the side or some such thing.  I'm sure most anyone in that park would have done the same.  We recognized them later by their dress when photo's of them in SLC came out after she was found.  Can't help but think that if only I was in tune some six months of additional captivity could have been avoided.

I suspect a lot of people feel the same way....if only we had known, if only someone had been able to open up at that crucial moment a life could have been changed or even saved.

 

Thank goodness for the Atonement so we don't have to be burdened with such regrets forever in this life.

[Tacenda]

My big 'if only'.....that people would have scoured behind Smart's home better. Did no-one realize they had a homeless guy on their hands or they did possibly because they were aware probably of Mr. and Mrs. Smart hiring him as a handyman. They shoudn't have left any stone unturned, Elizabeth mentions hearing searchers just yards away.

[Kenngo1969]

My big 'if only'.....that people would have scoured behind Smart's home better. Did no-one realize they had a homeless guy on their hands or they did possibly because they were aware probably of Mr. and Mrs. Smart hiring him as a handyman. They shoudn't have left any stone unturned, Elizabeth mentions hearing searchers just yards away. [Emphasis supplied by Kenngo1969].

CFR for the bolded portion, please. Thanks in advance.

[Tacenda]

CFR for the bolded portion, please. Thanks in advance.

Go to "Dad says Elizabeth Smart was brainwashed-ABC News"

[EllenMaksoud]

Either that woman is the most reselient, tough minded person on the planet, or one day it will all come spilling out and it won't be pretty. I used to consider the latter inevitable, but with the passage of years, it looks like the former is the most likely explanation.

To go through what she had to endure and come out the other side "normal" is a testimony to her strength.

It is fairly typical for our brains to sort of store away things that are too traumatic until our brains can deal with things later in life. Key here is that when "it all comes spilling out", she is surrounded by loved ones that will be compassionate enough to stay with her, not blame, her and be able to tolerate a period of time with some relatively bizarre behavior perhaps. Love and tolerance can heal a multitude of wounds.

[Kenngo1969]

Tacenda,

 

http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=90778&page=1

 

OK, first of all, nowhere is Elizabeth herself quoted in the story to which you referred me.  (I've read it three times very carefully now, and if I'm missing it, perhaps you should point it out to me.)  So she said precisely nothing (at least, nothing that's quoted in this story) about "hearing searchers just yards away."  The only person quoted in this story who could have said anything about Elizabeth "hearing searchers just yards away" (since he's the only relative who's connected to the case and is mentioned [and quoted] in it) is her father, Ed Smart.  

 

And the headline would be unlikely to highlight anything her father said if she, herself, had been quoted in the story. That's not the way good journalism typically works: if you question a first-hand source [Elizabeth] for a story, you don't highlight quotes from a second-hand source [her father] in the headline, in the lead (first paragraph), or toward the beginning of the story. As interested as readers might be in what Ed Smart has to say, they're only going to be a fraction as interested in what he as they would be in what she might have to say.

 

Secondly, nowhere is any distance (let alone "yards away") mentioned in the story to which you referred me.  Again, I've read it several times very carefully, so perhaps (despite the care I've taken) I'm simply missing it, but the only thing the story actually says is that searchers were close enough for Elizabeth to hear them calling her name.  It doesn't mention distance at all.  And I guarantee you, if I were searching for you, you wouldn't have to be mere "yards away" to hear me calling your name; you could be hundreds of yards away and still hear me.  I have a special talent for making myself heard (whether anyone wants to hear me or not ).

 

I don't think your mischaracterizations are malicious, but I do think it's important accurately to characterize what happened so that the blame for it remains solely where it belongs.  Yes, police made mistakes; yes, in hindsight, perhaps searchers made mistakes; and yes, perhaps those who saw her after she was kidnapped and before she was rescued (and suspected it might be her) made mistakes: but in the end, the blame for what happened to Elizabeth Smart rests squarely on the shoulders of Brian David Mitchell and, to a lesser extent, on those of Wanda Barzee.  

[Tacenda]

We were doing 'if onlys' ok? I was struck when I heard that she heard the searchers nearby. Maybe when her book comes out, we'll see in her own words. But when I say yards, it was for lack of a better word to describe a distance for being able to hearsomething I guess, I should have said 'within earshot' she heard searchers. What, don't you think her dad would know, seriously Kenngo!

[Judd]

I've told this story before...My family was in Balboa Park when Smart was in San Diego with the Mitchell's. Since they were dressed up in their robes, I was almost curious enough to ask what religion or religious order they were but did not. He was pacing slowly ahead of the two women who were walking together. I looked them in the eyes and saw nothing untoward and they looked at me. We even stood next to them as we crossed a wooden bridge and looked over the side together. Brian is a small man and all Elizabeth had to do was say something and I would have tossed him over the side or some such thing. I'm sure most anyone in that park would have done the same. We recognized them later by their dress when photo's of them in SLC came out after she was found. Can't help but think that if only I was in tune some six months of additional captivity could have been avoided.

I had seen him downtown and he later approached my car as I drove away. It was odd to think that while that whole thing went on there he was and I had no idea.

[BCSpace]

I had seen him downtown and he later approached my car as I drove away. It was odd to think that while that whole thing went on there he was and I had no idea.

 

According to my memory, she looked like Elizabeth in Balboa Park except she had gained some weight, at least in the face.  So even if I had been thinking of her at the time, I might still have missed her.  Most kidnapping cases like this end horribly and so after all those months, if one isn't part of the family, one can easily think "It's over". 

[Bill “Papa” Lee]

Elizabeth Smart's book about her experiences is coming out on Oct 7 2013.

 

My Story by Elizabeth Smart

 

NBC News story about her and announcing the book:

 

A decade after her rescue, Elizabeth Smart says, 'I didn't feel human'

God bless her as a father of two daughters and grandfather of Five granddaughters , we should all leave her alone. When I saw a movie that made a joke involving her, I vowed to never see the movie.

[katherine the great]

Tacenda,

 

http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=90778&page=1

 

OK, first of all, nowhere is Elizabeth herself quoted in the story to which you referred me.  (I've read it three times very carefully now, and if I'm missing it, perhaps you should point it out to me.)  So she said precisely nothing (at least, nothing that's quoted in this story) about "hearing searchers just yards away."  The only person quoted in this story who could have said anything about Elizabeth "hearing searchers just yards away" (since he's the only relative who's connected to the case and is mentioned [and quoted] in it) is her father, Ed Smart.  

 

And the headline would be unlikely to highlight anything her father said if she, herself, had been quoted in the story. That's not the way good journalism typically works: if you question a first-hand source [Elizabeth] for a story, you don't highlight quotes from a second-hand source [her father] in the headline, in the lead (first paragraph), or toward the beginning of the story. As interested as readers might be in what Ed Smart has to say, they're only going to be a fraction as interested in what he as they would be in what she might have to say.

 

Secondly, nowhere is any distance (let alone "yards away") mentioned in the story to which you referred me.  Again, I've read it several times very carefully, so perhaps (despite the care I've taken) I'm simply missing it, but the only thing the story actually says is that searchers were close enough for Elizabeth to hear them calling her name.  It doesn't mention distance at all.  And I guarantee you, if I were searching for you, you wouldn't have to be mere "yards away" to hear me calling your name; you could be hundreds of yards away and still hear me.  I have a special talent for making myself heard (whether anyone wants to hear me or not ).

 

I don't think your mischaracterizations are malicious, but I do think it's important accurately to characterize what happened so that the blame for it remains solely where it belongs.  Yes, police made mistakes; yes, in hindsight, perhaps searchers made mistakes; and yes, perhaps those who saw her after she was kidnapped and before she was rescued (and suspected it might be her) made mistakes: but in the end, the blame for what happened to Elizabeth Smart rests squarely on the shoulders of Brian David Mitchell and, to a lesser extent, on those of Wanda Barzee.  

I saw the interview on tv with her the other night.  She did say that.  I couldn't tell you even which show it was, but it was a woman interviewing her and she said she heard the searchers.  She didn't seem to blame law enforcement--but did express dismay at the time she was at the library and was approached by a policeman who asked her if she was Elizabeth Smart and Mitchell clamly convinced him that she was his daughter.  The policeman walked away and she was devastated.  Even then, the blame was placed on Mitchell--no one else.

[Tacenda]

I saw the interview on tv with her the other night. She did say that. I couldn't tell you even which show it was, but it was a woman interviewing her and she said she heard the searchers. She didn't seem to blame law enforcement--but did express dismay at the time she wasn't at the library and was approached by a policeman who asked her if she was Elizabeth Smart and Mitchell clamly convinced him that she was his daughter. The policeman walked away and she was devastated. Even then, the blame was placed on Mitchell--no one else.

Thank you for this, I missed seeing the interview, she was on Dateline. And for Kenngo, I never said she blamed law enforcement but maybe I do. Of course they are human and make mistakes so I can forgive them.

[Kenngo1969]

There's a long line of court cases (I will be more than happy to provide citations to anyone who wants to examine those cases more closely) which holds that officers' hunches, gut feelings, and the like, aren't enough, by themselves to subject someone to further investigation or detention, even in situations (such as the deeply unfortunate one in which Elizabeth Smart found herself) in which hindsight proves such suspicion well-founded.  I don't have a citation and/or a reference, but one of the officers who encountered the trio of Elizabeth Smart, Wanda Barzee, and Brian David Mitchell before Elizabeth was finally rescued, in answer to a question as to why he did not detain them and investigate the situation in greater detail, said, in essence, that he didn't do that because he didn't have a reason to.  Sure, it's easy, with the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, to ask whether the "****-and-bull" stories Mitchell told were really all that believable, and to ask whether those who might have shortened Elizabeth's captivity did all they could.  As unlikely as any explanation may sound, in hindsight, to us, the law says officers cannot simply take it upon themselves to question such explanations without good reason for doing so.  And MItchell is a master manipulator.  He manipulated not only law enforcement, but mental health professionals, lawyers, judges, good-hearted people who took pity on the trio, and others. And that's why he (and to a lesser extent, Wanda Barzee) and no one else is responsible for what happened to Elizabeth.

[Kenngo1969]

We were doing 'if onlys' ok? ...

While few of us have been through anything like what Elizabeth Smart went through, we could all wonder "if only" about terrible things that have happened to ourselves and to others.  While I don't mean to understate the complexity of the process she must have gone through in order to emerge reasonably well-adjusted from her ordeal, and while she may have gone through a stage in which she asked herself about all of the "if onlys," had she not moved beyond that stage, she never could have come through the experience, terrible as it was, as well as she has.

[Tacenda]

While few of us have been through anything like what Elizabeth Smart went through, we could all wonder "if only" about terrible things that have happened to ourselves and to others. While I don't mean to understate the complexity of the process she must have gone through in order to emerge reasonably well-adjusted from her ordeal, and while she may have gone through a stage in which she asked herself about all of the "if onlys," had she not moved beyond that stage, she never could have come through the experience, terrible as it was, as well as she has.

Yes, for sure. She has been amazing and will change lives through her experience. And maybe save lives through her proactive work and knowledge. She can help so many, and her strength is amazing along with her faith. Too bad though that we don't have the ability to track down all missing persons like we did her. Of course it's gotten better, but some were saying, at the time, that because she was white, and came from a wealthy family her disappearance was given more coverage. But definitely glad she got whatever was necessary. I'll never forget the day they found her. I have the book her mother wrote about the kidnapping and will be buying Elizabeth's book soon.

[Tacenda]

I bought this book last weekend.  Today I looked up her interview on Dateline shown in early October because I had missed seeing it.  Here is the Youtube of it.  Wow, to have read her experiences and then watch the interview is something.  She is amazing, I see now after reading the book and watching the interview, why she didn't bolt or say who she was.  She was so brave, sacrificing herself to save her family.   

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IWfVDjRU-U

 

Here is an interesting Youtube that I saw just after watching the one on Dateline.  This Youtube is of detectives interviewing the scumbag shortly after Elizabeth was rescued.  It's sick how Mitchell used God.  And clearly he is trying to justify his crime by saying he was called to do it by God.  He was a temple worker at one time, and was in my neighbor's ward several years ago.  How does this happen? 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EAtQJkxnzGY

 

http://signaturebooks.com/2010/11/brian-david-mitchell/