Exclusive: Kidnap girl's message of hope to Kate and Gerry McCann

These are the words that will give fresh heart to Kate and Gerry McCann this week: "Don't give up... because miracles DO happen."

It's a simple enough message, but what's important is that it comes from the one person who is living proof that there will always be hope for missing Madeleine.

As the McCanns wait to hear if Portuguese police have abandoned the search for their daughter, a pretty young woman called Elizabeth Smart has broken a long silence to talk about her own childhood ordeal.

Elizabeth, 20, reveals how she too was kidnapped in the night and was missing for months on end. She tells how her parents came under suspicion, just as Gerry and Kate McCann have.

Her case bears striking similarities to the baffling disappearance of little Maddie... but with a final instalment.

It ended happily. Elizabeth came home.

"I feel so lucky to be here, to have come through this unscarred," she says. "While I was gone I didn't know if I would ever be found, but I had hopes and dreams that I would.

They tell me I am an icon of hope. I just wish everyone could be as lucky as I was.

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Posted By Dont Let Them Hurt Our Children to PICK UP THE PHONE AND BRING MADELEINE HOME IF YOU HAVE ANY INFO. PLEASE CALL +44 845 838 4699 on 7/06/2008 05:12:00 AM
http://www.sundaymirror.co.uk/news/sunday/2008/07/06/i-was-snatched-from-my-bed-as-a-child-and-chained-up-for-9-months-never-give-up-98487-20633444/

And a heartfelt 'AMEN' to that. Miracles, as she said, do happen, and this is one miracle the whole world is waiting for. I for one have never stopped believing the world will not be disapointed.

This girl is being discredited right now on the Roids.

But we know what to think about that.

I love these new smilies!!

WHAT? HOW?? How the hell can they discredit her?? Did she fake it, or go willingly? :evil: Must be a new low, even for those t*ssers.

That Mr. Ed Smart (Elizabeth's dad) have supported Kate and Gerry from day one. I may be wrong but I think he flew down to England or Portugal to spend some time with the McCanns. In any case, I know that publicly both Mr. Smart and Mr. Walsh have supported the McCanns. Mr. Walsh's son, Adam (6 years old) was abducted and murdered - he has since then opened a centre in the US for Missing and Exploited Children as well as he has a show on the telly 'America's Most Wanted.' It should also be noted that the police at the onset of Elizabeth's abduction, Mr. Smart and his brothers were seriously being investigated for her disappearance. Mr. and Mrs. Walsh's private life was open season by the media after Adam's disappearance. So, not surpising they are supporting the McCanns - they've been there, done that. And no, Mr. Walsh does NOT support every parent with a missing child - he had a BAD feeling about Susan Smith very early on in that investigation; Susan Smith was supposedly too upset to meet with Mr. Walsh - she is the mom who was charged and found guilty of murdering her two little boys.

That maniac that took Elizabeth was known to the family,he had done odd jobs for the family and had seen Elizabeth and decided that he would take for for his second wife. He continually threatened her with the death of her family if she ran away or told anyone who she was. She was rightly scared of him and did as he said. She was clearly a victim of an abduction from her own home, while her parents were there, her sister was in the same room (the maniac threatened to kill them both if the sister said who he was, and she kept quiet for a while because she was also terrified), by someone known to the family, but not close to the family.

Elizabeth was moved to a 'commune' (read hovel) in California (I think,but am not going to look it up) but after a time, she was moved back closer to home (may even have been the same city). It was there that a police officer thought that something was strange about the man, and the two women (1 girl) with him, and walked up to Elizabeth and asked her if she was Elizabeth Smart. She didnt even have to answer, the look on her face said it all. The policeman grabbed her and didnt let go.

I saw a special on the tv about this. Initially, all the focus was on the family, partly I think because no one could believe that a 14 yo could be taken in an abduction from within her own house. But it didnt take long for the police to realise that she had been taken. Did you know that she was hidden in the woods and searchers came within 50 metres of her, but she never called out because she thought that her parents and sister would be killed?

Anyway, if there are some that are trying to discredit Elizabeth, than they are complete low lifes. She has been through a horrific experience and she can give her support to whoever she chooses. She is a brave young woman who chooses to keep out of the public eye, and for her to speak out now, takes courage. It also means that she must believe what she is saying, and doesnt deserve ridicule or condemnation from those that are only hate mongering.

Thank you Elizabeth, I hope that your comments may help the McCanns in their search for their daughter.