Remembering Samantha: A Mother’s Journey from Loss to Action
This July, Samantha Runnion would have celebrated her 30th birthday. Her mother, Erin Runnion, turned unimaginable loss into a mission protecting children across the country.
This July, Samantha Runnion would have celebrated her 30th birthday.
For her mother, Erin Runnion, the date is a reminder of the years Samantha should have had – and of the joyful little girl whose life continues to inspire a mission protecting children across the country.
Samantha was just 5 years old when she was abducted and murdered in 2002. In the aftermath, Erin faced a question no parent should ever have to ask: What could be done to help prevent this from happening to someone else’s child?
In Part 1 of her episode on the Finding Your Inspiration YouTube Channel, Erin says, “we can’t control what happens to us, all we can control is how we choose to respond.”
Finding Your Inspiration, a video podcast launched in 2022, shares stories of how members of our community faced and surmounted challenges. Their stories are designed to inspire others to find their hidden strengths.
Erin founded The Joyful Child Foundation in Samantha’s memory, turning her unimaginable loss into action. This October, the organization will celebrate 25 years of educating children, equipping caring adults and bringing communities together to help prevent crimes against children.
Through its BRAVE programs, The Joyful Child teaches children personal safety and life skills. The programs help young people to recognize unsafe situations, trust their instincts and understand that they have a voice. The organization continues to develop new resources, including online safety lessons that meet children where they are.
Erin also became a national advocate for child safety and supported efforts to strengthen awareness of the AMBER Alert system. As of Dec. 31, 2025, 1,312 children had been successfully recovered because of an AMBER Alert, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.
But Erin’s journey cannot be measured only in programs or statistics. Its impact lives in every child who learns to speak up, every parent who begins an important conversation and every community that becomes better prepared to protect its children.
In a deeply personal two-part conversation with Finding Your Inspiration, Erin shares the story behind this work. She speaks candidly about Samantha, the grief that changed her life and the determination that has sustained her mission for nearly 25 years.
Erin could not change what happened to Samantha.
But she could make sure Samantha’s story did not end there.
As Erin puts it in Part 2 of her episode, “The greatest impact that we can all make is empowering our children to be brave, to stay true to who they are and to be safe.”
Today, Samantha’s legacy protects and empowers children.
Watch Parts 1 and 2 of Erin Runnion’s story on the Finding Your Inspiration YouTube channel and subscribe to discover more remarkable people whose courage and purpose are making a difference.
Know a story we should showcase? Contact Executive Producer Jack Rothman at (310) 904-2855.