Kidnapping survivor and child safety advocate Elizabeth Smart is speaking out on the high-profile disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, urging investigators, media, and the public not to lose faith in finding the missing 84-year-old alive.
As the search for the mother of TODAY show co-anchor Savannah Guthrie continues, Smart drew from her own harrowing 2002 abduction experience to remind the public why giving up hope prematurely can be fatal.
“We Shouldn’t Give Up Until We Find Her”
Reflecting on the law enforcement statistics that often paint a grim picture when a missing person isn’t recovered within the first 48 hours, Smart emphasized that statistics don’t tell the full story.
“I want to remind people that there isn’t a body, so there is still reason to have hope that she is alive and that we shouldn’t give up until we find her.”
Smart, who was abducted from her Salt Lake City bedroom at age 14 and miraculously rescued nine months later, acknowledged that while surviving long-term abductions is statistically rare, it remains entirely possible. She stressed that public vigilance and continuous media coverage remain critical tools in bringing missing victims home.
Smart’s father, Ed Smart, also previously expressed solidarity with the Guthrie family, recalling the emotional torment of “not knowing” during his daughter’s nine-month captivity.
With authorities continuing their multi-agency investigation into Nancy Guthrie’s sudden disappearance, Smart’s message serves as a crucial rally cry for the public to maintain active search efforts, share official leads, and refuse to accept the worst-case scenario.
