Press

ALBANY, NY – Ed Smart, the father of former kidnap victim Elizabeth Smart and a nationally-known advocate for families with missing loved ones, will be the keynote speaker at the 9th annual Missing Persons’ Day ceremony Sunday, April 11 at the New York State Museum.

Smart’s presentation, which is open to the public, will begin at 2 p.m. The event for families and friends of abducted children and other missing persons is held annually in conjunction with Missing Persons’ Day, which is observed annually on April 6th, Suzanne Lyall’s birthday. The former SUNY Albany student has been missing since March 2, 1998.

Since his daughter’s abduction in June 2002 and her rescue nine months later, Smart has been involved in numerous conferences designed to further awareness and cooperation in the area of child protection, with the aid of law enforcement, media, and the public. He was instrumental in securing passage of the “Amber Alert” law.

Smart has done numerous TV interviews, including one with Katie Couric, along with his wife and daughter Elizabeth, on “Dateline NBC” in 2003. The Smart family also published a book, “Bringing Elizabeth Home,” which was the basis of a television movie, “The Elizabeth Smart Story” that aired November 9, 2003 on CBS. Elizabeth’s alleged abductor was ruled competent to face charges on March 1, and his trial is pending.

Prior to Smart’s speech, a ceremony will be held in the Museum’s Huxley Theater, beginning at 1 p.m., with Assembly Minority Leader James Tedisco as master of ceremonies. It will include a talk by Doug and Mary Lyall, the parents of Suzanne Lyall, who will discuss the Center for Hope, the Ballston Spa-based non-profit organization they founded. This will be followed by remarks by Albany Mayor Jerry Jennings and other dignitaries.

Following the speeches and presentations, members of families with missing loved ones will place wreaths of yellow roses and hold a candlelight vigil at the New York State Missing Persons’ Remembrance monument, located on the southeast corner of Madison and Swan Streets. Constructed in 2006, the monument features an eternal flame to “light the way home” for the missing.

The New York State Police, the Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS), and other organizations will be present during the event to hand out literature and answer parents’ questions.

During the morning of April 11, nearly 200 survivors and friends of missing persons are expected to attend a private morning session exclusively for the families and missing person organizations, sponsored by the Center for Hope.

“Regardless of the circumstances, the unexplained disappearance of a loved one is always devastating to the affected family, friends and sometimes entire communities,” said Doug Lyall. “Those left behind are faced with the unrelenting uncertainty about the fate of their loved one, not knowing if they are living or deceased.”

“No matter what the outcome is, life will never be the same,” added Mary Lyall. “The challenge is to be able to move ahead without becoming consumed by emotional pain and unresolved grief.”

The State Museum is among several sites in the Capital Region that hosts a computer kiosk that allows visitors to access information year-round about missing persons.

Established in 1836, the State Museum is a program of the New York State Education Department’s Office of Cultural Education. Located at the Empire State Plaza on Madison Avenue in Albany, the Museum is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. except on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Admission is free and the Museum is fully accessible. Further information about Museum programs and events can be obtained by calling (518) 474-5877 or visiting the Museum website at .

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