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John Walsh Host of America's Most Wanted: America Fights Back 
All of America knows John Walsh as the host of the nation's number one crimefighting show, America's Most Wanted: America Fights Back. But not all of America knows that John's lifelong fight for justice, for victims' rights and for the cause of missing children are rooted in a very personal tragedy. Walsh, who brings the nation together to fight against violent criminals every Saturday night, is no stranger to violent crime himself.In the summer of 1981, Walsh was a partner in a hotel management company in Hollywood, FL. He was living the American dream. He and his wife, Revé, had a beautiful six-year-old son, Adam, the joy of their lives. They never thought crime could touch them. But that joy was shattered on July 27, 1981, when Adam was abducted and later found murdered. The Walshes have never received the closure that America's Most Wanted has brought to the lives of so many crime victims. The prime suspect in Adam's murder, Ottis Toole, was never charged in the Adam Walsh case; he died in prison while serving a life sentence. The story of the Walsh family's tragedy was dramatized in the 1983 NBC television movie "Adam" and a 1986 sequel, "Adam: His Song Continues." Following the airing of the broadcasts, a roll of missing children was featured, leading to the recovery of 65 youngsters. It wasn't long after Adam's death that the Walshes turned their grief into positive energy to help missing and exploited children. Battling bureaucratic resistance and legislative nightmares, John and Revé's work led to the passage of the Missing Children Act of 1982 and the federal Missing Children's Assistance Act of 1984. The latter bill founded the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which maintains a toll-free hotline number (1-800-THE-LOST) to report a missing child or the sighting of one. In their son's memory, they also founded the Adam Walsh Child Resource Center, which later merged with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Walsh serves on the board of directors of the National Center. In 1984, Esquire magazine voted John Walsh "one of the best of the new generation." Since then, Walsh's endless quest for justice has been trumpeted across the pages of newspapers and magazines around the nation including The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, USA Today and People magazine -- where Walsh was named one of the 50 Most Beautiful People for 1996. And "CBS Portraits" named him one of the 100 Americans Who Changed History. Law Enforcement officials around the nation also have honored Walsh for his efforts. In 1988 he was named the U.S. Marshals Man of the Year, and two years later received the same honor from the FBI -- the bureau's highest civilian award. Walsh has received hundreds of other honors, including the 1984 Father of the Year Award from the National Father's Day Committee. Walsh is the only private citizen to receive a Special Recognition Award by a U.S. Attorney General, and he's been honored in the Rose Garden four times by three Presidents: Clinton, Bush and Reagan (twice). Today, Walsh continues his lobbying efforts, testifying before Congress and state legislatures on crime, missing children and victims' issues. His latest efforts include lobbying for a victims' rights amendment to the U.S. Constitution. In addition, Walsh authored "Tears of Rage," a powerful story of his transformation from grieving father to full-time activist. The book chronicles how Walsh expanded the search for his son's killer into an extensive, 16-year battle on behalf of thousands of missing and abused children. "Tears of Rage" was on the best seller list in 1997. He also is partners with America's Most Wanted Executive Producer Lance Heflin in a production company, Straight Shooter. The company syndicated the popular "Manhunter" in 45 countries and created the syndicated "America's Most Wanted: Final Justice" here at home. In 1995, Walsh executive-produced the highly rated made-for-TV movie "If Looks Could Kill" (in which he made his acting debut -- portraying himself), and received his first primetime Emmy nomination for "Street Smart Kids," a labor of love he created and produced for FOX. Walsh maintains his Washington, D.C. residence with his wife, Revé, and their three children.   PRIME PICKS TWO AND A HALF MEN Tonight at 7:30 PM Carpet Burns and a Bite Mark Charlie organizes an intervention to keep Alan from reuniting with Judith  |
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