Vanessa Richardson

We'll start today's episode in 1974, when Patty Hearst was ripped from her life of privilege and taken hostage by a group of radical militants. Then we'll skip forward to 2003, when Elizabeth Smart's parents turned their 14-year-old daughter's kidnapping case on its head by publicly sharing information the police had kept to themselves. Both cases made headlines around the nation, even the world.

They were stories of fear, resilience, uncertainty, and changed the way we think about safety forever. It was around 9 p.m. on February 4, 1974. Nineteen-year-old college student Patty Hurst was at her apartment in Berkeley, California, with her fiancé, 26-year-old Stephen Weed. As they settled in for the night, there was an unexpected knock on the door. Stephen and Patty found it odd.

They were stories of fear, resilience, uncertainty, and changed the way we think about safety forever. It was around 9 p.m. on February 4, 1974. Nineteen-year-old college student Patty Hurst was at her apartment in Berkeley, California, with her fiancé, 26-year-old Stephen Weed. As they settled in for the night, there was an unexpected knock on the door. Stephen and Patty found it odd.

They were stories of fear, resilience, uncertainty, and changed the way we think about safety forever. It was around 9 p.m. on February 4, 1974. Nineteen-year-old college student Patty Hurst was at her apartment in Berkeley, California, with her fiancé, 26-year-old Stephen Weed. As they settled in for the night, there was an unexpected knock on the door. Stephen and Patty found it odd.

It was getting late, and they weren't expecting anyone. Berkeley was a college town, though. It was entirely possible that it was just a friend dropping by. So Stephen went to answer the door, Patty following behind him. They didn't have a window or peephole to see who it was, so Stephen cracked the door. It was a woman neither of them knew.

It was getting late, and they weren't expecting anyone. Berkeley was a college town, though. It was entirely possible that it was just a friend dropping by. So Stephen went to answer the door, Patty following behind him. They didn't have a window or peephole to see who it was, so Stephen cracked the door. It was a woman neither of them knew.

It was getting late, and they weren't expecting anyone. Berkeley was a college town, though. It was entirely possible that it was just a friend dropping by. So Stephen went to answer the door, Patty following behind him. They didn't have a window or peephole to see who it was, so Stephen cracked the door. It was a woman neither of them knew.

The stranger claimed she'd accidentally backed her car into theirs and asked if she could use their phone. Patty wasn't happy about that. She turned and headed back towards the living room, leaving Stephen to figure it out. A moment later, there was a loud noise as the woman and two men barged their way into the apartment. They were all carrying weapons.

The stranger claimed she'd accidentally backed her car into theirs and asked if she could use their phone. Patty wasn't happy about that. She turned and headed back towards the living room, leaving Stephen to figure it out. A moment later, there was a loud noise as the woman and two men barged their way into the apartment. They were all carrying weapons.

The stranger claimed she'd accidentally backed her car into theirs and asked if she could use their phone. Patty wasn't happy about that. She turned and headed back towards the living room, leaving Stephen to figure it out. A moment later, there was a loud noise as the woman and two men barged their way into the apartment. They were all carrying weapons.

They beat Stephen until he was barely conscious, then tied Patty up and carried her outside. After a brief struggle, they forced her into the trunk of her car and sped away. Patty had no idea what they wanted or where they were taking her, but she was pretty sure she knew why she'd been targeted. Her name. Patty belonged to one of the world's richest and most powerful families.

They beat Stephen until he was barely conscious, then tied Patty up and carried her outside. After a brief struggle, they forced her into the trunk of her car and sped away. Patty had no idea what they wanted or where they were taking her, but she was pretty sure she knew why she'd been targeted. Her name. Patty belonged to one of the world's richest and most powerful families.

They beat Stephen until he was barely conscious, then tied Patty up and carried her outside. After a brief struggle, they forced her into the trunk of her car and sped away. Patty had no idea what they wanted or where they were taking her, but she was pretty sure she knew why she'd been targeted. Her name. Patty belonged to one of the world's richest and most powerful families.

Her grandfather, William Randolph Hearst, was the founder of a vast media empire. The company is still wildly successful today, generating billions of dollars every year. Patty had been raised accordingly, growing up in a mansion outside of San Francisco with her parents and four sisters.

Her grandfather, William Randolph Hearst, was the founder of a vast media empire. The company is still wildly successful today, generating billions of dollars every year. Patty had been raised accordingly, growing up in a mansion outside of San Francisco with her parents and four sisters.

Her grandfather, William Randolph Hearst, was the founder of a vast media empire. The company is still wildly successful today, generating billions of dollars every year. Patty had been raised accordingly, growing up in a mansion outside of San Francisco with her parents and four sisters.

But even though being a Hearst came with a lot of perks, it also came with a lot of expectations, and Patty wasn't all that interested in following the blueprint her family set out for her. She was a bit of a rebel, pushing against the high society behavior and expectations demanded by her mother, Catherine.

But even though being a Hearst came with a lot of perks, it also came with a lot of expectations, and Patty wasn't all that interested in following the blueprint her family set out for her. She was a bit of a rebel, pushing against the high society behavior and expectations demanded by her mother, Catherine.

But even though being a Hearst came with a lot of perks, it also came with a lot of expectations, and Patty wasn't all that interested in following the blueprint her family set out for her. She was a bit of a rebel, pushing against the high society behavior and expectations demanded by her mother, Catherine.

And although Patty's father, Randolph, appreciated his daughter's verve, her teachers weren't as amused. Patty quickly wore out her welcome at the various upper-class schools she went to, and by the time she graduated high school, she'd gone to five different institutions. Her final one proved to have the biggest impact on her. It was there that she met her soon-to-be fiancé, Steve.