John Walsh, 78, the enduring host of America’s Most Wished, launched his profession after a tragic occasion in his household led to a lifetime of activism as a sufferer advocate. His six-year-old son Adam Walsh was kidnapped from a Sears division retailer in Hollywood, Florida, in 1981 and was subsequently killed.
The bereaved father and his spouse, Revé Drew, channeled their grief into activism, founding the nonprofit Adam Walsh Little one Useful resource Middle, which finally merged with the Nationwide Middle for Lacking and Exploited Youngsters, on which John serves with the board of administrators.
After Adam’s tragic dying, the Walsh household would go on to welcome three extra youngsters, all of whom have grown into maturity. On January 22, 2024, 43 years after Adam’s disappearance, John is ready to host the second season of the revival of America’s Most Wished, co-hosting together with his son, Callahan Walsh.
Right here’s what to find out about all of John’s youngsters.
Adam Walsh
Adam Walsh was born to his dad and mom John and Revé on November 14, 1974. Adam was simply six years outdated when he was kidnapped from a Sears on the Hollywood Mall on July 27, 1981. Simply over two weeks later, his severed head was present in a drainage canal alongside Florida’s Turnpike. Adam’s unthinkable homicide would go unsolved for many years to return, and within the meantime, his abduction would function a catalyst for his dad and mom to make massive modifications.
John and Revé’s activism led to the Lacking Youngsters Act of 1982 and the Lacking Youngsters’s Help Act of 1984, and the influential couple has lately lobbied for a Constitutional modification for victims’ rights. In 2006, the Adam Walsh Little one Safety and Security Act was signed into regulation by former President George W. Bush. A “code Adam” was additionally carried out in malls and shops throughout America within the Nineteen Nineties as a approach to instantly reply to a lacking baby scenario — in the end, a predecessor to the “Amber Alert.”
In 2008, Adam’s case was lastly closed when the Hollywood Police Division declared serial killer Ottis Toole chargeable for Adam’s dying. Toole had died in jail in 1996.
John Walsh’s most well-known achievement following the dying of his son was the 1988 creation of America’s Most Wished, a FOX true crime present hosted by Walsh that has aided within the seize of over 1,000 fugitives. In January of 2024, John returned as host for the second season of the revival of the present on its unique community.
Meghan Walsh
Regardless of their devastating loss, the Walsh household moved ahead, welcoming daughter Meghan Walsh in 1982. In an interview with Larry King in 2006, Revé opened up in regards to the resolution to increase their household following Adam’s dying. “Meghan was born a 12 months after Adam’s abduction and I feel that basically, actually rapidly after we discovered Adam’s destiny, we mentioned the one factor that is smart is to have one other baby and eliminate this agony and discover one thing that’s as fantastic as Adam and that was Meghan,” she mentioned on the time.
Meghan additionally shared within the joint household interview that Adam’s presence was all the time felt within the family. “Oh, I nonetheless have Adam’s image in my bed room right this moment,” she mentioned. “He’s all the time with us and we’ve all the time been conscious of what occurred and it simply made us extra conscious. We’ve all the time been very avenue sensible. We clearly did one thing good to deserve these dad and mom and this way of life and this life. So, you understand, once more, we’re very grateful and he’s all the time with us.”
Meghan, now 42, is a singer, dressmaker, and artist who lives in Vero Seashore and is mother to her personal daughter, Eva.
Callahan Walsh
Callahan Walsh, now 39, entered the household in 1985. He was requested by Larry King in 2006 if it was a heavy burden to be the primary son born after Adam. “No, you understand, I imply, rising up with these nice dad and mom it hasn’t been powerful,” he mentioned on the time. “They don’t put any type of stress on me so far as the oldest son. I’m very proud to be a part of this household, to see what work they’ve performed for youngsters all throughout the nation.”
Callahan studied enterprise at Stetson College exterior Daytona, Florida, and is ready to co-host the second season of the America’s Most Wished revival on FOX, premiering January 22, 2024, together with his well-known father.
“I grew up with my dad and mom saying that if Adam’s track is to proceed, then we should do the singing,” Callahan informed Fox Information in a 2021 interview. “And I’m attempting to try this daily as a baby advocate. I need to assist get households the justice they deserve.”
Hayden Walsh
Hayden Walsh, the youngest of the Walsh brood, was born in 1994 and is now 29. Within the Larry King household interview, Revé mirrored on Hayden’s uncanny resemblance to his older brother Adam. “He appears quite a bit like Adam,” she mentioned. “You’ll be able to see that. And he’s type of, you understand, having older dad and mom and older brothers and sisters, he’s fairly grown up for his age, which Adam was quite a bit like that, being surrounded by adults. Youngsters which can be in these conditions are typically just a little bit extra mature. And he’s one thing else. He’s undoubtedly a chip off the outdated block.”
Hayden, then simply 11 years outdated, additionally didn’t hesitate to gush over how proud he’s of his dad and mom. “It’s thrilling, and I simply don’t know what to say about my dad and mom,” he mentioned on the time of seeing his dad and mom on the White Home and on TV. “They’re such function fashions that it’s not onerous to consider, however sooner or later, generally, it’s simply overwhelming, like all they’ve completed and stuff.”