After a decade of living as captives in an Ohio basement, the Cleveland hostage survivors broke their silence for the first time to thank those who supported them.
In a Youtube video, survivors Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight appear upbeat and thanking those who supported them.
“I may have been through hell and back, but I am strong enough to walk through hell with a smile on my face and my head held high,” Knight, who was taken hostage in 2002, said. “I will not let the situation define who I am. I will define the situation. I don’t want to be consumed by hatred.”
The video, released Monday night, was filmed on July 2nd and released by a public relations agency on behalf of the three women.
Berry, Dejesus and Knight each survived between twelve and nine years of seclusion in Ariel Castro’s Cleveland basement. They were freed in May after a neighbor helped Berry escape from the house and call police.
Castro, a former school bus driver, was indicted on more than 300 charges, including rape, kidnapping and aggravated murder.
Berry, who was kidnapped at age 16, gave birth to Castro’s daughter in 2006.
“I’m getting stronger each day, and having my privacy has helped immensely,” Berry said. “I want everyone to know how happy I am to be home with my family and my friends.”
Since their rescue a fund created by the Cleveland City Council members has raised over $1,050,000 to help the three women get their lives back on track after a decade of captivity and abuse.