Sheri Lopez was the middle daughter in a family with busy professional parents. She wasn't a troubled kid, but lacked in self confidence, so was flattered when a popular boy in her high school reached out to her to be his girlfriend. What she didn’t know, is he was the first step of a carefully orchestrated three-month grooming process, that led to a seven-year nightmare of sexual trafficking.

He talked her into attending parties thrown by his father. The first couple of parties were uneventful. But then, she realized that afterwards she couldn’t remember what happened, and by the time she realized she was being drugged and brutally abused by grown men, it was too late.

Sheri credits a brave woman named Pearl who befriended her years later at the mailboxes where she was kept, with finally helping her to break free. Since then, Sheri has dedicated her life to educating parents, agencies, and the public about the warning signs of grooming and trafficking.

She is breaking stereotypes. Sheri wasn't kidnapped, in fact during her first three years of being trafficked she was still living at home and going to high school. She never "walked the streets." And once rescued, it took nearly 25 years to process what happened to her: the abuse, the darkness she was subjected to, the loss of freedom she faced, why her parents never suspected anything, why she could not tell anyone what was happening, the 12 operations to ﬁx her damaged internal organs, and the reality that other human beings preyed upon her for money. 

Sheri is a true hero, taking her tragic past filled with trauma and hurt, and dedicating herself to creating a hopeful future for children.

To learn more about Pearl at the Mailbox, click here: https://www.pearlatthemailbox.com/ 

Original air date: October 16, 2025.

Sheri Lopez was the middle daughter in a family with busy professional parents. She wasn't a troubled kid, but lacked in self confidence, so was flattered when a popular boy in her high school reached out to her to be his girlfriend. What she didn&rsquo;t know, is he was the first step of a carefully orchestrated three-month grooming process, that led to a seven-year nightmare of sexual trafficking.
He talked her into attending parties thrown by his father. The first couple of parties were uneventful. But then, she realized that afterwards she couldn&rsquo;t remember what happened, and by the time she realized she was being drugged and brutally abused by grown men, it was too late.
Sheri credits a brave woman named Pearl who befriended her years later at the mailboxes where she was kept, with finally helping her to break free. Since then, Sheri has dedicated her life to educating parents, agencies, and the public about the warning signs of grooming and trafficking.
She is breaking stereotypes. Sheri wasn't kidnapped, in fact during her first three years of being trafficked she was still living at home and going to high school. She never "walked the streets." And once rescued, it took nearly 25 years to process what happened to her: the abuse, the darkness she was subjected to, the loss of freedom she faced, why her parents never suspected anything, why she could not tell anyone what was happening, the 12 operations to ﬁx her damaged internal organs, and the reality that other human beings preyed upon her for money.&nbsp;
Sheri is a true hero, taking her tragic past filled with trauma and hurt, and dedicating herself to creating a hopeful future for children.
To learn more about Pearl at the Mailbox, click here: <a href="https://www.pearlatthemailbox.com/">https://www.pearlatthemailbox.com/</a>&nbsp;
Original air date:&nbsp;October 16, 2025.

The Rescuers radio show provides an opportunity to spotlight people who are working behind the scenes to make this world a better place. These people serve as inspiration and idea starters to encourage others to find creative ways to impact their community, their city, and the world.

Host Art Brooks has spent his career in broadcasting, both as on-air talent and in representing the industry as president and CEO of the Arizona Broadcasters Association for nearly 30 years. He was the driving force behind an Emmy-winning series of documentaries on drug abuse that combined a phone bank of 100 seasoned counselors and history-making "roadblock," as every TV station in Arizona and many radio stations broadcast the groundbreaking show on the same day at the same time. He also was instrumental in starting AZ AMBER Alert (one of two states in the nation where broadcasters initiated the program), helped form the Native American Broadcast Institute at Northern Arizona University and consulted with broadcasters in Bulgaria to help build commercial radio as the country was coming out of communism.

Rescuers airs 5:30-6 p.m. AZ time Thursdays on KPXQ-AM Faith Talk 1360, beginning May 7, 2020. Based in Phoenix, it is available internationally online. We invite you to submit names of heroes you think would be good subjects for the show - just message us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/rescuersradioshow/

The Rescuers radio show provides an opportunity to spotlight people who are working behind the scenes to make this world a better place. These people serve as inspiration and idea starters to encourage others to find creative ways to impact their community, their city, and the world. Host Art Brooks has spent his career in broadcasting, both as on-air talent and in representing the industry as president and CEO of the Arizona Broadcasters Association for nearly 30 years. He was the driving force behind an Emmy-winning series of documentaries on drug abuse that combined a phone bank of 100 seasoned counselors and history-making "roadblock," as every TV station in Arizona and many radio stations broadcast the groundbreaking show on the same day at the same time. He also was instrumental in starting AZ AMBER Alert (one of two states in the nation where broadcasters initiated the program), helped form the Native American Broadcast Institute at Northern Arizona University and consulted with broadcasters in Bulgaria to help build commercial radio as the country was coming out of communism. Rescuers airs 5:30-6 p.m. AZ time Thursdays on KPXQ-AM Faith Talk 1360, beginning May 7, 2020. Based in Phoenix, it is available internationally online. We invite you to submit names of heroes you think would be good subjects for the show - just message us on Facebook at <a href="https://www.facebook.com/rescuersradioshow/">https://www.facebook.com/rescuersradioshow/</a>

Rescuers radio show

An inspiring program highlighting everyday heroes who change and save lives, making the world around us a better place.

An inspiring program highlighting everyday heroes who change and save lives, making the world around us a better place.

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