Monster Held Her Captive for 10 Years. After Escaping into Freedom, Shares Exciting News
Michelle Knight, one of the three women held captive by Ariel Castro, made a huge announcement on “Dr. Phil” six years after her escape.
Knight was abducted in 2002 when she was only 21. She knew Castro’s daughter so when he offered to give her a ride, she didn’t think anything of it.
He took her back to his house, restrained her, and started physically, emotionally, and sexually abusing her.
As a result of the sexual abuse, she said she was pregnant at least five times, but Castro did everything he could to make sure she never gave birth to a live baby; he starved her, threw her down stairs, and jumped on her stomach.
Knight, along with the two other women who were kidnapped, escaped in 2013. Castro was sentenced to life in prison (plus 1,000 years) with no chance of parole just a few months later.
She endured many unfathomable horrors over the decade in Castro’s house, but since her escape has been very public with her journey of healing.
She now uses her incredible story to inspire others and to advocate for change.
She published a New York Times Bestselling biographical memoir called “Finding Me: A Decade of Darkness, a Life Reclaimed” in 2014. She talks about her life before being kidnapped and how it helped her cope while living with Castro.
Knight describes her childhood as difficult, but she doesn’t discount its role in her life. She told People, “I learned to cope with certain things that happened to me when I was younger, and it helped me to survive this incident that I went through.”
In an episode set to air on April 24, 2018, Knight told Dr. Phil that she is married! Her new husband’s name is Miguel and the happiness beaming from her face proves how far she has come since the day of her escape.
Her second book titled “Life After Darkness: Finding Healing and Happiness After the Cleveland Kidnappings” will be released on May 1, 2018.
In this memoir, Knight talks about her life after her escape: how she found meaning and purpose after suffering such horror.
Knight has definitely taken huge steps toward healing and continues to inspire others along the way. She’s found a way to trust and love again and that’s extremely admirable!
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