"America’s Most Wanted" Host to Speak on March 21

March 10, 2000

University Park, Pa. — John Walsh, the host of "The New America's Most Wanted: America Fights Back," will speak on "Living Life with a Mission" at 8 p.m., Tuesday, March 21, at Penn State’s Eisenhower Auditorium. Walsh is appearing as part of the Distinguished Speakers Series.

Walsh, an activist for victims’ rights and missing children, is no stranger to violent crime. In 1981, Walsh was a partner in a hotel management company in Hollywood, Fla. and the father of a six-year-old son, Adam. Later that year, Adam was abducted and later found murdered.

The prime suspect in Adam’s murder, Ottis Toole, was never charged in the case, but died in prison while serving a life sentence for other crimes.

Walsh and his wife Reve Walsh turned their grief into a desire to help missing and exploited children nationwide. Their work led to the passage of the Missing Children’s Act of 1982 and the Missing Children’s Assistant Act of 1984, which in turn led to the founding of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The center maintains a toll-free hotline number (1-800-THE-LOST) to report a missing child or the sighting of one.

The Walshes also founded the Adam Walsh Child Resource Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to legislative reform.

In 1987 Walsh became host of the original "America’s Most Wanted" and today continues his lobbying efforts by testifying before Congress and state legislatures on crime, missing children and victims’ issues. His efforts include lobbying for a constitutional amendment for victims’ rights.

In 1984 Esquire voted Walsh as "one of the best of the new generation." CBS Portraits has named him one of the "100 Americans Who Changed History." Walsh is also the only private citizen to receive a Special Recognition Award by a U.S. Attorney General.

Walsh's presentation at Penn State is supported by the student activities fee. The event is free and open to the public, but tickets are required. Students with valid Penn State IDs may obtain tickets on Tuesday, March 14 at the Eisenhower Auditorium ticket box office. Faculty, staff, and students with valid Penn State IDs may obtain tickets on Wednesday, March 15. Any remaining tickets will be available to the general public Thursday, March 16 on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets may also be available the night of the speech. The Eisenhower ticket box office is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information, contact the Office of Student Activities at (814) 863-3786.

*****

Contact: Karen Trimbath, Dept. of Public Information, at (814) 865-7517 or at