In Lifetime’s “Stolen By Their Father,” a determined mother did not stop reclaiming her girls when their abusive father kidnaps and abducts them and takes them to Greece. While it is undoubtedly the narrative of a gripping film, it is much more. The film is based on the true story of Lizbeth Meredith and is part of Lifetime’s Ripped from the Headlines series.
Who is Lizbeth Meredith?
Stolen By Their Father, based on her 2016 memoir Pieces Of Me: Rescuing My Kidnapped Daughters,”, has been adapted for Lifetime Television which described the traumatic events that occurred after her two daughters were kidnapped in 1994. . Lizbeth Meredith (played by Sarah Drew) permits her ex-husband to visit her two daughters for a few days in the film, which was executive produced by kidnapping survivor Elizabeth Smart, but she soon discovers he has kidnapped them and taken them to his home Greece. Meredith is informed that Greek law will favor the man, and she will likely never see her daughters again. That, however, does not deter her. Instead, the tenacious mother spends the next two years traveling to the White House and then Greece, refusing to accept defeat. It wasn’t until 1996 that she was able to locate her daughters, she explained.
She told WTVG in 2017 that “he took the daughters on a visitation and then departed from the nation.” “When I didn’t see my girls at the daycare where they were supposed to be dropped off by their father, I got a bad feeling.”
According to a post on her website, What came next would spark a global effort, joined by friends and strangers alike, to reunite Lizbeth with her kidnapped daughters,” “And two years later, many thousands of dollars, one arrest (Lizbeth’s), and after a relentless effort from all involved, Lizbeth found her now non-English speaking daughters.”
In an odd twist, the actual Meredith was also kidnapped by her mother when she was a youngster. She didn’t find her biological father until she was 20 years old, and then only with the help of a lawyer.
Who is Lizbeth Meredith Now?
Lizbeth is now the proud mother of two strong, educated women who has defied intergenerational traditions of early marriage and lack of education, according to her website. She lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and is an award-winning author. Lizbeth is also a speaker and online teacher who works part-time as a coach and consultant, which she finds enjoyable after a three-decade career working with crime victims and offenders.
Lizbeth enjoys going to the movies, discussing with podcast guests at Persistence U with Lizbeth, and Facetime discussions with her adult kids and grandchildren in her spare time.
Tickled to be joined by my grown little ones and my grandcat at today’s market! 😻 pic.twitter.com/ABdtOrJzoK
— Lizbeth Meredith (@LizbethMeredith) June 16, 2019
According to her article November 29, 2016, She Wrote My book isn’t perfect. And I never did learn how to tag others on Twitter or to have a live event on Facebook like I meant to. I intended to write more content pieces for magazines to help with publicity. But in the end, Pieces of Me was released to a small yet welcoming community of readers that have shared with me and with others how the book has impacted them. Some have even shared that impact on Goodreads and on Amazon. Every day since the release, I exhale at least once, deeply and intentionally, grateful for the things I’ve learned as a budding author. And now I mention with pride to friends and strangers alike, “This is just my first book.”
Drew is proud of how she was able to tell Meredith’s story in such a unique way.
Sarah Drew is proud of how “Stolen By Their Father” by Lifetime was able to tell Lizbeth Meredith’s tale. As Drew said to The List, “I think sometimes thrillers can be about women being abused, and the reality is that she did live a life being abused by her ex, but she turned it on its head. She survived.”
The “Grey’s Anatomy” star Drew went on to compliment Meredith even more, pointing out that she has subsequently gone on to work in women’s shelters for survivors of domestic violence, assisting people in similar situations to Meredith’s “You feel that energy thrumming through her in every frame of the movie. She is a survivor. She will survive. She will stop at nothing. And no one can shake her. And it’s powerful. It’s empowering,” Drew said.
