M E R I D I A N     M A G A Z I N E

Christmas Without Elizabeth
by Catherine Martines

The holidays are a difficult time for the Smart family as they continue their search for Elizabeth.

It's been six months since that Wednesday morning, June 5 when 14-year old Elizabeth Smart was kidnapped at gunpoint from her family's Salt Lake City home and entered the hearts and prayers of millions of families around the world.

There is something about her face, the shy innocence, the touching purity, that has made her linger in our minds. Our concerns are captured in a letter her parents, Ed and Lois Smart posted on her website. They wrote, “Elizabeth was blessed with ideal circumstances: careful, loving parents, a strong family, an obedient and modest character, a locked home, a safe supportive neighborhood and a witness to the crime. If Elizabeth could be taken, it could happen to any one of our children.”

Now, despite thousands of prayers, the days have rolled on and Elizabeth’s bed is still empty as Christmas approaches, a poignant reminder that though we sing, “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” it isn’t true for her.

Ed and Lois Smart, who have been spending recent weeks doing national media interviews in New York City, said the holidays are "extremely difficult" for them.
"The other days I was listening to the radio and a song came on, "Still, Still, Still," Ed said from his New York hotel room. "Elizabeth and I used to play that song together, and it brought tears to my eyes. You can't help but feel the loss and void of her being there."

'We're Managing'

The Smarts said recent months have been among the hardest for them since Elizabeth's disappearance. Lois said their daughter loved all the celebrations at this time of year, beginning with Halloween, followed by her birthday, then Thanksgiving and Christmas.

"We have five other children to think about, too," Ed said, "and they keep you going. You've just got to keep going. We're managing. You just have to get up each morning."

The family celebrated Elizabeth's most recent birthday when she would have turned 15 with a trip to Disneyland. "Elizabeth loves theme parks," Lois said. "Her actual birthday fell on a Sunday. On that day, we went to Church and then went about our normal Sunday activities," Ed added.

Lois said this was always a special time of year for Elizabeth because she looked forward to playing her harp at various church gatherings, weddings and concerts. "She also loved pulling out all the Christmas ornaments and decorating the tree," Lois said. "She enjoyed seeing her grandparents at our Christmas gatherings, going to our family cabin, skiing and drinking hot chocolate."

'Our Faith Sustains Us'

Ed said spiritually and emotionally, there has never been a harder time than what this nightmare has put them through. "You never think that this kind of thing could ever happen to you," he said. "And it does happen, and it happens to a lot of people. Life will never be the same, as much as you want it to be."

Lois said she knows they will see Elizabeth again. "Whether it be in this life or the hereafter, it is our faith that sustains us through it all."

The Smarts, who are active members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said prior to Elizabeth's disappearance, they attended the temple "once every few months." Now they attend the temple weekly. "It is the only place we can really let down and find peace," Ed said.

"The first time I went to the temple after Elizabeth's abduction, was the first moment I experienced peace," Ed said. "Lois and I were together. We felt the Lord's peace. He knows all."

Unanswered Prayers?

The Smarts said they have never felt the Lord hasn't answered their prayers with regard to finding Elizabeth. They believe the Lord answers prayers in His own way and time. "Our ways are certainly not the Lord's ways," Lois said. "Our timeline is not His timeline."

She said the family is very grateful for the many prayers people have offered up on their behalf. And she said they have taken great comfort from the many cards and letters sent them not only from Latter-Day Saints, but from people of all religions. "We know that without them we could not make it," she added.

"No one has ever approached us to ask if we feel that our prayers haven't been answered," Lois said. "Everyone has been very positive and supportive."

Keeping Busy

On a day-to-day basis, the Smarts continue to operate their mortgage and real estate brokerage business, which they said, "has never been busier." They have also become national advocates for the expansion of the Amber Alert System. The system was started in 1996 as a powerful legacy to 9-year old Amber Hagerman of Arlington, Texas who was kidnapped and murdered while riding her bicycle.The system is designed to immediately notify the public of non-family abductions in their area through bulletins that are sent out to the public through law enforcement systems, television, radio and in states, highway signs.

According to Ed, 30 states have now adopted the program, but he said he believes it needs to be instituted nationwide through federal legislation. He explained that the United States Senate has overwhelmingly passed a stand-alone Amber Alert bill, but the House of Representatives has the legislation tied up in a larger bill that could prove difficult to pass.

"This Omnibus Child Protection Act encompasses so many issues and things," Ed explained. "We want the House to pass the Amber Alert bill on it's own. There are children's lives at stake. You can't be messing around with it."

In recent weeks the couple have been granting a number of media interviews to help keep Elizabeth's name and face in the public eye. "We want someone to come forward and say something, because someone out there definitely knows what happened," Lois said.

"Yes, and I would just ask that anyone out there who knows something, regardless of how small it is, to please come forward. We would love to have their help."

Search Status

The Smarts are no longer actively doing a physical search for Elizabeth. Ed said all the areas that they and investigators imagined Elizabeth might be, have been covered and researched. However, they are continuing to follow "numerous police tips and leads, but so far none has brought us to the point where we can find Elizabeth." He said three police officers and three agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigations continue to work the case.

'Elizabeth is Protected'

The Smarts have avoided the temptation to lose themselves in overwhelming despair. They have instead searched for and found the good in people and the world. "Throughout all this tragedy and horror," Lois said, "we have met so many good people and we know that Elizabeth is being protected. There is so much love in the world."

Ed said if there were any advice he can give to other parents, it would be to simply hug their children and hold them dear to their hearts. "The last thing I remember about Elizabeth," he recalled, his voice choking with emotion, "was getting a kiss goodnight."

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