How Elizabeth Smart Became “Fitness Barbie” Bodybuilder With Trainer

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Elizabeth Smart won first place in her recent bodybuilding competition through dedication and intense effort.

According to her trainer, Robyn Maher, the activist—who was kidnapped in 2002—has transformed into an award-winning bodybuilder. Maher affectionately refers to her as a “Fitness Barbie.”

Robyn shared in an interview with Extra TV on April 22nd that the woman independently decided she wanted to publicly discuss her experience and feels empowered by doing so. She believes there’s no shame in it, explaining that her body has accomplished incredible things and this is another goal she’s achieved, hoping to inspire other women.

“She’s gorgeous,” Robyn added. “I keep calling her Fitness Barbie. That’s my nickname for her.”

It turns out Elizabeth had actually competed in three bodybuilding events before the 2026 Wasatch Warrior competition. She first competed in Salt Lake City a year earlier, but used her married name at the time. Elizabeth, 38, and her husband, Matthew Gilmour, have three children together.

Robyn explained that she didn’t want any recognition. She simply wanted to achieve a personal goal for herself.

We were really thrilled with her progress. She started to enjoy the process and wanted to continue. As she explained, ‘I’ve seen how much I’ve achieved and I feel much stronger now, so I’d like to do this again.’

Robyn wasn’t just physically strong, which showed her she was ready for more challenges. She was only 14 years old when she was kidnapped from her bedroom and held captive for nine months by Brian David Mitchell, who is now in prison for life for kidnapping and sexually exploiting a minor across state lines.

Robyn explained that this woman has overcome incredible emotional and mental challenges, and is remarkably strong physically, able to lift very heavy weights. Because of this, they’ve established new, ambitious goals for her.

Elizabeth competed in events twice more, even at a national competition, before returning to the Wasatch Warrior this year. She won first place in her category – NPC Fit Model – at the event.

According to Robyn, Elizabeth succeeded by sticking to a demanding training schedule that involved eating well and lifting weights almost every day.

I’ve been following Elizabeth Smart’s fitness journey, and honestly, the changes are incredible! She’s really transformed herself. And it’s so good to hear the fitness expert confirm that her success wasn’t just about her name – she earned it fair and square. It’s inspiring to see her dedication pay off.

Elizabeth’s victory felt especially significant because she had previously hesitated to share her new hobby publicly. In an April 21st Instagram post, she explained she feared judgment, being dismissed, or feeling inadequate to continue her advocacy work for survivors.

Robyn explained that the woman is incredibly strong, having completed many marathons. She added that the woman is also very capable in weightlifting, and that people sometimes focus on her appearance rather than her athletic ability – she’s stunning, but also a powerful athlete.

It was really inspiring to see her stand up for herself and say she wouldn’t tolerate being humiliated. She was proud of what she’d done, and that really resonated with me.

For a look back on Elizabeth’s kidnapping and how far she’s come, keep reading
 

Elizabeth’s victory felt even more special because she’d been hesitant to share her new hobby publicly. In an April 21st Instagram post, she explained she feared judgment and worried people wouldn’t see her as credible, or that it would impact her work supporting survivors.

Robyn explained that the woman is incredibly strong, having completed many marathons. She also mentioned the woman is very capable when it comes to weightlifting, and that’s a key aspect people are noticing. While many are struck by her beauty – and she is stunning – Robyn emphasized her impressive physical strength.

Honestly, what really got to me was her bravery – just standing up and saying, ‘Enough is enough, I won’t be humiliated over this!’ It was so powerful to hear her own that, and to see her actually proud of it. It was such a moving moment, truly.

For a look back on Elizabeth’s kidnapping and how far she’s come, keep reading
 

When Elizabeth Smart disappeared from her home in Salt Lake City on June 5, 2002, investigators initially had to consider whether the situation involved someone within her family.

According to lead investigator Cory Lyman in the 2026 Netflix documentary Kidnapped: Elizabeth Smart, the family initially appeared happy and ordinary. However, statistics show that in cases like this, the person responsible is often a parent or other family member, so investigators focused their attention on them.

He remembered that investigators did detailed interviews and took 12 computers from the large Smart family.

Lyman realized the alarm hadn’t been set and there were no signs anyone had used the kitchen window – no scuff marks from a chair, for example. He began to suspect the break-in wasn’t what it seemed. He thought someone might have cut the screen after the fact, making it look like they’d entered through the window when they actually came in another way.

Investigators found no evidence of wrongdoing on the family’s computers or in their email accounts. Elizabeth Smart’s father, Ed Smart, also passed a lie detector test, and eventually, all family members were ruled out as suspects.

Ed described the experience of his daughter going missing as ‘horrendous’ and added that being considered a suspect was utterly devastating.

Ed Smart said that when his wife, Lois—the mother of their six children—suggested the police believed he was concealing information, he became so overwhelmed he began to shake uncontrollably.

Ed remembered his father threatening to have him institutionalized if he didn’t get control of himself. His father followed through, taking him to the hospital and having him admitted to the psychiatric ward, where Ed spent the entire night crying.

Early in the investigation, Ed’s brother, Tom Smart, often spoke to the press and urged the police to take action. He became a key public representative for the case.

Following reports of unclear polygraph results and observations of Tom’s nervous behavior – his brother, Dave Smart, noted he seemed “really jittery” in his account in Kidnapped – questions arose about whether Tom was concealing information.

Tom admitted in the Netflix documentary that he didn’t make a good impression during a past interview. He was asked about Elizabeth’s disappearance and, recalling his response – where he said things like “we understand everyone has issues” and called the case “a wonderful story” focused on the “beautiful little angelic girl” – he acknowledged it didn’t come across well.

He believed anyone watching the interview would likely conclude Tom Smart is unhinged and possibly guilty. Afterward, his wife told him he had ruined their family.

At the time, Tom explained, he was exhausted and didn’t care how he sounded.

“My only focus was locating Elizabeth,” he explained. “We didn’t need their permission or approval – honestly, we didn’t care. We were confident we were in the clear ourselves.”

Investigators discovered a woman’s remains, and Lyman had to inform Ed and Lois that they might be those of Elizabeth.

Ed recalled the phone call, saying, “The girl’s body was so badly burned, it was impossible to identify her.” He explained he’d tried to brace himself for the worst until the news was confirmed.

Lyman acknowledged the deceased was another unfortunate person, but added that it was especially painful to see the Smart family grieving.

Ed remembered feeling relieved, but he couldn’t stop worrying and wondering about her safety. He kept thinking, ‘Where is she, and what’s going on?’

When Elizabeth was kidnapped, her sister, Mary Katherine Smart, was the only one who saw what happened. Because of this, authorities interviewed the 9-year-old Mary Katherine many times.

To protect her memories from being affected by current events, she was kept isolated from the troubles her family was facing.

In the Netflix documentary, Mary Katherine described feeling isolated and desperate to understand what was happening around her, but people kept excluding her. She struggled to recall who had taken Elizabeth, recognizing the voice but not the source. Eager to assist, she even underwent hypnosis, but felt immense pressure from all sides. She noted it was an overwhelming experience for a nine-year-old.

Richard Ricci, a contractor who had previously worked at the Smart home, was arrested on June 14, 2002, for violating his parole – an offense unrelated to his work there.

When police discovered Lois’ jewelry with Ricci, he was arrested for burglary and immediately became the main suspect in Elizabeth’s disappearance.

In a police interview, Ricci claimed he had no knowledge of the kidnapping. However, he wouldn’t explain how his Jeep had racked up hundreds of miles in the day after the victim disappeared.

After seeing him on the news, Mary Katherine insisted the man who had been in their bedroom wasn’t Ricci.

On July 24, 2002, someone tried to break into the home of Elizabeth’s aunt and uncle. Police discovered a hole in a window screen and two chairs positioned under the bedroom window of their 18-year-old daughter.

Despite the lack of solid leads, police believed they were nearing a breakthrough in the case. According to the documentary, investigators, feeling increasingly frustrated, offered Ricci a deal: immunity from prosecution in exchange for information leading to Elizabeth’s whereabouts, as long as he wasn’t involved in her disappearance or death. Unfortunately, Ricci suffered a brain aneurysm while in jail and passed away on August 27, 2002.

“I felt terrible,” Lyman said. “Our prime suspect died, taking all his knowledge with him. It left us stuck with a really tough case. As a police officer, you try to stay detached, but I was starting to lose that emotional distance.”

After her sister was kidnapped, Mary Katherine was afraid of going to sleep and would always wait for her father to come tuck her in at night.

In the documentary, Mary Katherine recalled that about four months after her abduction, she was looking through a copy of the Guinness World Records when a name suddenly came to her mind. She couldn’t explain why, but it just occurred to her at that moment.

She suddenly recalled that the man, Brian David Mitchell, sometimes went by the name Emmanuel. He was a drifter who claimed to be a prophet and had done various jobs around town, including some work for the Smart family.

Mitchell kidnapped Elizabeth while threatening her with a knife and took her to a mountain campsite where he and his wife, Wanda Barzee, were living.

For days, hundreds of people tirelessly searched the area around Elizabeth’s home. Eventually, the search team almost found her.

Oh my gosh, it still gives me chills remembering that scene in Kidnapped! Elizabeth just barely hears someone calling her name – it’s so subtle, but she knows it’s there. Then, Emmanuel practically drags her into the tent and, ugh, he pulls out this knife! He basically tells her that if anyone comes near, he’s going to use it on them, and it’s all her fault! It’s so intense, I replay it in my head constantly! Seriously, that moment is EVERYTHING.

She said she’d only heard her name called a couple of times before the sound disappeared completely.

While held captive by Mitchell, Elizabeth reported experiencing repeated sexual assault and ongoing psychological abuse.

She described the rape as horrific, but also shared a disturbing thought: sometimes, listening to her attacker felt even worse. He constantly talked about his own importance and justified his actions, claiming they were necessary because God had ordered him to do them, even though he knew they were wrong.

In September 2002, Mitchell and Barzee took Elizabeth to Lakeside, California, and discussed continuing their journey to cities like New York or Boston.

Elizabeth remembered feeling lost and worried that if they went to another large city, she’d disappear completely. She felt it was crucial to share her thoughts, believing they needed to return to Salt Lake City. She urged Mitchell to pray and ask God to confirm if this was the correct course of action and if he was, in fact, a prophet.

Elizabeth remembered him saying, ‘It seems God is finally helping you.’ He then added, ‘Now that you understand you’re insignificant, we’re meant to go back to Salt Lake City.’

As much as the Smart family believed Mary Katherine’s memories about Emmanuel were the key to everything, honestly, the police weren’t convinced. I know the family was so hopeful, but the investigators just didn’t seem to share their optimism.

In the Netflix documentary, retired Salt Lake City Police Detective Cordon Parks explained that investigators questioned the witness’s memory. It relied on identifying a voice, which can be used as evidence, but isn’t considered very strong proof.

Honestly, I just couldn’t believe it when I heard they hadn’t even looked into Emmanuel properly! It sounds crazy, but Lyman actually admitted he didn’t think Emmanuel was involved – he said the guy hadn’t shown up on any of their suspect lists at all. I mean, how could they miss that?! It’s just
 unbelievable.

Police advised the Smarts against releasing a drawing of Emmanuel. Lyman explained that their thinking was, making the sketch public might frighten the suspect off. They already had a name and a drawing, so they wanted to avoid tipping him off.

The Smarts responded with their own press conference, revealing what they knew. This ultimately led to a clue about his true identity from Mitchell’s family, who also shared additional photos for distribution.

I couldn’t believe it when I found out! March 12th, 2003 – the day Mitchell, along with Elizabeth and Barzee, stepped off the bus in Sandy, Utah, and people immediately recognized him. It was like something out of a dream, seeing him in person after following his story for so long! I was so excited when I heard the news.

Honestly, I was SO relieved when her family ignored the police and released that sketch! It was exactly what needed to happen, and I couldn’t believe they actually did it. It felt like a huge step forward, and I was just praying they wouldn’t listen to those who said it was too early. It gave me so much hope!

I remember hearing the dispatch about Mitchell – Sergeant Victor Quezada was right there with me. Then, we spotted him. He was with two women, and it was clear one of them was much younger than the other. It definitely caught our attention.

“I was hesitant to believe it would turn out to be true,” he said in the doc.

Elizabeth explained that the officer repeatedly asked if she wanted to go home, but her kidnappers were nearby. She was extremely frightened and felt she had to give the answer that would keep her most safe.

Quezada explained that he finally asked the girl to pretend to be Elizabeth, saying it was important for the country and her family. She responded with a phrase he’d never heard before – “Thou sayeth.” He took it as her agreeing to his request.

Elizabeth recalled being silent when she finally saw her dad again at the police station.

I hesitated to answer because I was scared I’d done something wrong. Then I saw my dad, and knowing he was there to protect me and would never leave me, I felt relieved.

Mitchell claimed he wasn’t responsible for his actions due to mental illness, but a jury convicted him on December 11, 2010, of kidnapping a child and taking them across state lines for sexual exploitation.

I’ve been following this case for years, and it’s heartbreaking. He received a life sentence with no chance of ever being released. Just recently, in October 2025, the news reported that the now 72-year-old inmate was moved from the high-security prison in Terre Haute to a medium-security facility in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. Apparently, he’d been attacked a number of times while at Terre Haute, according to Indiana Public Media, and they felt a move was necessary for his safety.

In 2009, Barzee, then 79 years old, admitted to kidnapping a child and illegally taking them across state lines in federal court. She also pleaded guilty in state court to conspiring to commit a more serious kidnapping. As a result, she received a 15-year prison sentence, with the sentences for each case running at the same time.

In court, she pleaded guilty and told Elizabeth she was deeply sorry for the pain she had inflicted on her and her family. She expressed a sincere hope that Elizabeth would one day be able to forgive her.

Despite objections from the Smart family, Barzee was released in September 2018.

In May 2025, she was arrested in Utah after visiting public parks and charged with violating restrictions for registered sex offenders. According to People magazine, she was released under court orders and required to report to the Salt Lake City Police each week.

Elizabeth is a skilled harpist and graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in music.

She met her future husband, Matthew Gilmour, while serving a mission for her church in Paris. He’s originally from Scotland. They were married on February 18, 2012, in Hawaii and now have three children together.

In her book, Kidnapped, Elizabeth explained that as time went on, she started sharing her story with others. She felt it was important to use her experience to make a positive impact on the world.

Beyond being a public speaker, I’ve also dedicated a lot of my work to writing books and creating films. These projects really focus on the journeys of kidnapping survivors – sharing my own story, as well as giving a voice to others who’ve gone through similar experiences. It’s a way to connect, heal, and raise awareness.

I definitely have ups and downs, she admitted. But I’ve learned to be kinder to myself. Instead of dwelling on past mistakes and thinking ‘I should have’ or ‘I could have,’ my inner thoughts are now much more supportive – things like ‘You can get through this,’ ‘You’re capable,’ ‘You’re strong,’ and ‘Keep pushing forward.’

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2026-04-24 01:19