Elizabeth Smart brings together abduction survivors in hopes of helping Jayme Closs
Elizabeth Smart was abducted in 2002 and held captive for 9 months, and now she wants to help another abduction survivor, Jayme Closs.
In a new Lifetime special, "Smart Justice," Smart, 31, brings together six women to discuss their lives after they each lived through a harrowing abduction and escape.
13-year-old Closs was kidnapped from her Wisconsin home in October 2018 by Jake Patterson, 21, who also killed her parents during the home invasion. She was held for 88 days before she managed to escape.
Smart previously spoke in support of Closs, and now brings forth this special in which the survivors explain some of the challenges Closs may face in the future and their advice to her on how to handle it.
Smart shared a lengthy note on Instagram, explaining her intention with the special and what she hopes survivors will take away from it.
"Each one of these women is a fellow abduction survivor and has gone on to triumph over their pasts and reclaim their lives," she wrote next to a photo featuring the group. The survivors include Gina DeJesus, Katie Beers, Kara Robinson, Alicia Kozakiewicz, Denise Huskins and Sarah Maynard.
She shared that the women will discuss Closs' investigation but "not what happened to Jayme while in captivity, that is her story to share if she ever chooses to."
"My hope is that any survivor could watch this and walk away feeling that 1. They are not alone. 2. No matter what they have been through they can over come what has happened. And 3. Life is beautiful and meant to be lived, and just because something bad has happened it doesn’t mean that what happened has to define you," Smart wrote.
The group also discussed their own cases and whether or not they've chose to forgive their captors.
Smart will also travel to Closs' home state in the special to speak to those who know her and those that took part in her investigation and rescue efforts.
In a sneak peek posted to Twitter, Smart exclaims "When I heard that Jayme had been recovered, I just felt like 'Yes!'"
The special premieres on Saturday at 8/7c on Lifetime.
