Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight, the three women who were held captive in a Cleveland home for nearly a decade, all sent a thank you message to the public for its support in a video posted overnight.
“First and foremost, I want everyone to know how happy I am to be home with my family and my friends,” Berry says at the beginning of the video, reports NBC News. “It's been unbelievable. I want to thank everyone who has helped me and my family through this entire ordeal. Everyone who has been there to support us -- it's been a blessing to have such an outpouring of love and kindness.”
Knight also showed strength, thanking everyone for their “love, support and donations.” She added, “I just want everyone to know that I’m doing just fine. I may have been through hell and back but I am strong enough to walk through hell with a smile on my face and with my head held high.”
Knight said that she will not let this incident “define” her. “I will define the situation.”
“Thank you for your support,” DeJesus said.
According to the Chicago Tribune, this is the first time the public has seen the women since their dramatic rescue from the home of Ariel Castro back on May 6.
Castro pleaded not guilty last month to 329 charges that cover from August 2002 to 2007. Among the charges is aggravated murder, as prosecutors say that Castro impregnated Knight and then forced her to miscarriage. Other charges include rape and kidnapping.
Here is the full video:
image: YouTube