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Mom's Daring Rescue: Daughter Reclaims Stolen Childhood
17 Sep
Summary
- A mother hired ex-Special Forces soldiers to rescue her daughter from Jordan.
- The dangerous mission involved crossing the Allenby Bridge to Israel.
- Healing occurred in Texas with help from Miranda Lambert's family.
In 1987, 7-year-old Lauren Burns was abducted by her father and taken from Dallas to Jordan, prompting her mother, Cathy Mahone, to hire former U.S. Special Forces soldiers for a dangerous rescue mission. After three months apart, Burns was retrieved in a daring operation on January 28, 1988, and they narrowly escaped Jordanian police to reach safety in Israel. The mother and daughter subsequently lived in hiding in the U.S., changing their names due to fear of the father's revenge.
Their journey toward healing began in Texas, where they received support from the family of country music star Miranda Lambert. Burns, now 46, shares her story in the memoir "Stolen," detailing the emotional toll of the abduction and its aftermath. She reflects on her father's manipulative actions and her own struggles with isolation and language barriers in Jordan. The memoir highlights the resilience of both mother and daughter as they rebuilt their lives and found forgiveness.
Burns, who lives in San Antonio, Texas, with her husband and teenage sons, now works as a physical therapist. She has made efforts to reconnect with her father and half-siblings. Miranda Lambert, who was a child when Burns was taken, has spoken about witnessing Burns' strength and her inspiring journey through pain to become a source of hope for others.
