On today's show, you were reintroduced to Pam Cope, the Missouri mother of four who was inspired to rescue a little boy sold into slavery in Ghana after seeing his haunting face in The New York Times. Since then, Pam has been on a mission to help other children find freedom and safety. Find out how her life has changed since we last saw her and get an update on that very special boy, Mark.

Each year, I like to spend New Year's Day reflecting on the many things for which I am grateful, and today I'm particularly grateful for this chance to share an update on Mark Kwadwo, a very special little boy who has forever changed my life.

Mark was first introduced to the world five years ago as a 6-year-old slave in Ghana. For 12 hours each day, he worked on Lake Volta under brutal conditions, and the scars were obvious. Well, he is no longer that boy. Now, he is a happy, healthy 10-year-old with a dream of becoming a pilot, a talent for soccer and a fondness for Dr. Seuss. I've been back to visit him 14 times in these last few years, and every time I hear his contagious laughter or experience his resilience and kindness, I realize that in finding him, I have, in so many ways, found myself.

When I first shared my story, I hoped that doing so might help to change the lives of some of the 7,000 children who remain enslaved on the dark waters of Lake Volta. That has certainly happened. Through the generosity of complete strangers, our nonprofit organization, Touch a Life Foundation, has been able to rescue more than 90 additional children from slavery, ranging in age from 5 to 21. While each of them is now well on his way to recovery, the idea that there are still so many children enslaved in Ghana gets me up every morning and pushes me to keep working. We haven't saved every child—not yet—but it's a start.

But something else has happened that I never expected.