The Netflix documentary Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart offers new insights about the then-14-year-old’s abduction from Smart herself, as well as father Ed Smart.
While much attention has understandably gone to Elizabeth and her younger sister Mary Katherine, whose memory from the night of the kidnapping helped pinpoint Brian David Mitchell and Wanda Barzee as the perpetrators, their parents Ed and Lois Smart remained equally visible throughout the search for Elizabeth and the aftermath of her discovery.
“My family they were, I mean, it’s what I had held onto for nine months. I mean, they were the reason why I survived, was believing that they’d still love me, that they’d still want me back, that they’d still be there for me,” Elizabeth told KUTV 2 in March 2023.
Ed and Lois Smart married in 1986 and had six children: including Elizabeth, Mary Katherine, and sons Charles, Andrew, Edward, and William. However, their lives were thrown into turmoil when Elizabeth disappeared from their house on June 5, 2002.
Here’s what we know about Ed and Lois’s lives in the years after Elizabeth’s ordeal.
Ed and Lois wrote a book about Elizabeth’s kidnapping
Elizabeth previously revealed in the 2017 A&E two-part documentary Elizabeth Smart: Autobiography that Ed and Lois, who married in 1986, played a crucial role in her recovery.
While some individuals surrounding the case suggested Elizabeth should attend therapy or seek treatment after she was discovered on March 12, 2003—nine months following her disappearance—her parents gave her the freedom to choose for herself. “That was hugely empowering for me, that I wasn’t forced to go speak to someone or was hospitalized. My parents became my therapists and who I talked to if I ever needed to talk to someone,” she explained.
In October 2003, Ed and Lois published the book Bringing Elizabeth Home: A Journey of Faith and Hope, documenting their experience during the search for their daughter and the role of faith in their lives. Lois grimly admitted the “realization that Elizabeth might be dead continued to set in” until Elizabeth was brought home safe.
The couple divorced in 2019 after Ed disclosed his sexuality
After more than three decades of marriage, Lois filed for divorce from Ed in July 2019 and their separation was finalized months later in December. According to Us Weekly, court documents showed their marriage was terminated with Salt Lake County Court and details of the settlement weren't included.
Amid the divorce, Ed revealed in a letter to Facebook that he “recently acknowledged to myself and my family that I am gay.” He wrote that he underwent a “change in my beliefs” pertaining to his identity with the LDS Church, which allowed him to fully accept his sexual orientation.
“I love my family and always will. Lois has been a loyal wife, and extraordinary mother, who has had to endure an impossible part of this journey,” Ed continued. “I deeply regret the excruciating pain this has caused her. Hurting her was never my intent. While our marriage will end, my love for Lois and everyone in my family is eternal. I believe that love is what binds us together.”
Ed and Elizabeth Smart are in regular contact today
According to CNN, Ed served as the executive director of the Elizabeth Smart Foundation, founded by Elizabeth in 2011 to “drive social change in the fight against sexual violence.”
Elizabeth told Netflix’s Tudum that Ed is officially retired, but has remained active as a lobbyist and advocate for victims and their families.
“For years, I had watched my dad go up to Capitol Hill and lobby for safety legislation, and I watched him calling families whose children had been kidnapped, or going in and helping set up search centers and doing media to help raise awareness and make sure that these stories weren’t buried,” Elizabeth said, adding they talk multiple times per week.
Lois Smart doesn’t participate in the Netflix documentary
Tudum previously confirmed that Lois Smart declined to be interviewed for the new documentary. “Some members of my family want to leave things in the past. And personally, that’s okay with me. I want to respect their wishes,” Elizabeth said.
Lois previously appeared in Elizabeth Smart: Autobiography in 2017 and spoke about the events surrounding the kidnapping and Mitchell’s trial, as well as her worries for Elizabeth after the ordeal. “I was very concerned about her relating to boys, that she wouldn’t want to date or go to the school dances, but it never seemed to be a problem because she went to every dance and had lots of friends and... life was good,” she explained.
Little is known about Lois’s life today. According to her profile on All American Entertainment, she became a public speaker focusing on advocacy and other topics including education reform, faith and religion, and parenting.
How to Watch Netflix’s Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart
The new Netflix documentary, Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart, includes new interviews with Smart and individuals involved with the case investigation, Tudum has confirmed, which may shine new light on Mitchell’s behavior and life today.
Smart hopes other kidnapping survivors who see her story realize they aren’t alone and can feel unashamed of what happened to them. “And I hope that people who watch this can gain compassion and understanding for other families who are going through this,” she told Tudum.
“I also hope it brings comfort that there are happy endings—and that even after terrible things happen, you can still have a wonderful life,” she added.
Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart began streaming Wednesday, January 21, on Netflix.
Tyler Piccotti joined the Biography.com staff as an Associate News Editor and is now the News and Culture Editor. He previously worked as a reporter and copy editor for a daily newspaper recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors. In his current role, he shares the true stories behind your favorite movies and TV shows and profiles rising musicians, actors, and athletes. When he's not working, you can find him at the nearest amusement park or movie theater and cheering on his favorite teams.
