Michelle Knight, one of the women held prisoner by Ariel Castro in his Cleveland home for over a decade, told Today Show that she had forgiven Castro.
Knight, who was abducted in 2002 when she was only 21-years-old, is releasing a memoir about her ordeal titled Finding Me, almost one year after her rescue from Castro. Knight said she has regained her freedom and that she feels freer every day.
“I’m doing just fine and everything is really exciting right now…It’s just awesome. It’s awesome life right now,” Knight said.
Knight, who appeared cheerful and calm throughout her interview, declared that she has been able to forgive Castro for torturing her, raping her, and keeping her hostage for 11 years.
“If I did something wrong, even if it was a small thing, I would want somebody to forgive me, so I can forgive him for what he done wrong because that’s the way of life,” Knight said.
Whether Knight’s fellow captives are able to do the same remains to be seen. The other two women kept captive by Castro for almost a decade, Gina DeJesus and Amanda Berry have kept out of the public eye, refusing to give interviews, and Knight admitted that the three women have lost touch.
“Right now, we’re all healing in our own way. Sometimes relationships, including friendships, don’t last that long. We were just in each other’s life for a short while in time and maybe, just maybe, we’ll get back together,” Knight said, adding that she hopes they do all reunite in the future.
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Knight revealed in her interview that she did go through moments during her 11 years in captivity when she attempted suicide, but the love she had for her son helped her survive. During her sit down on Today Show, Knight revealed that she still has no contact with her son, who was three at the time of her abduction.
“The love of my son helped me keep the faith that I had,” Knight said of how she got through her tough moments.
After she was taken by Castro, Knight’s family eventually gave up her son for adoption. Now 14, her son does not know the identity of his birth mother, as his adoptive parents feel he is too young to understand. However, they have provided Knight with photos and updates on her son’s life, something Knight says she is both sad and grateful for.
“I’m glad they have him, and he’s doing really well, and I’m very proud of him for all of the accomplishments that he has achieved,” Knight said of her son.
Knight added that she hopes she will get to see him one day, but in the meantime, she appreciates the little things, saying that the best part of her new life is just “Being able to wake up in the morning, make a cup of coffee and sit there, watch TV, listen to music and just look at the beautiful sky.”
Knight is truly embracing her life of freedom. Since her rescue, she has legally changed her name to ‘Lillian Rose Lee’ and spends her time taking singing lessons and training to be a boxer.
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