Elizabeth Smart’s astonishing transformation inspires other women to heal from trauma through weightlifting

Elizabeth Smart was only 14-years-old when she was abducted at knifepoint from her bedroom in Salt Lake City, Utah, and sexually assaulted by a street preacher and his wife. A year after her disappearance, Smart safely returned home. But the traumatizing wounds remained. Since her horrifying experience, the now 38-year-old has become a child safety activist, has launched a program teaching women self-defense skills — and more recently shed light on the healing potential of weightlifting after she won first place at a bodybuilding competition in April. “My body has carried me through every worst day, every hellish, grueling experience; it’s created and nurtured three beautiful children, my body has risen to every single challenge life has presented it with, and carried me through, so I refu