Finding Me: A Decade of Darkness, a Life Reclaimed: A Memoir of the Cleveland Kidnappings

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Sangiacomo, Michael (May 7, 2013). "Cleveland house where missing women held captive is in foreclosure". The Plain Dealer. Archived from the original on May 10, 2013 . Retrieved May 13, 2013. Goldman, Russell; Dolak, Kevin; Muir, David; Castellano, Anthony (May 7, 2013). "Kidnap Victim Amanda Berry Hailed as 'Real Hero' in Rescue of Three Exton Women". ABC News. Archived from the original on May 8, 2013 . Retrieved May 13, 2013. Castro kidnapped Berry a year after he took Knight, one day before Berry's 17th birthday. A year later he kidnapped 14-year-old Gina DeJesus. (Knight is convinced she was kidnapped only because Castro thought she was far younger than 21.) Was there any comfort in knowing there were other girls in the house? Yes, she says, but her overwhelming feeling was pity. "I felt they didn't deserve to be here. I didn't deserve to be here. Everything that happened from that day was just going to be a big old mess. It's a tragedy because you know exactly what she's going to go through, and she ain't going to like it. And you don't know how she will react to it." All three girls had known Castro's children. Palmer, Kim (June 8, 2013). "Ohio grand jury indicts man accused of kidnapping Cleveland women". Reuters. Archived from the original on June 8, 2013 . Retrieved June 9, 2013. Eversley, Melanie; Alcindor, Yamiche (May 9, 2013). "Reports: Knight lived troubled life before abduction". USA Today. Archived from the original on May 10, 2013 . Retrieved May 13, 2013.

Feran, Tom (March 14, 2015). "Michelle Knight conquers her fears after 'dangling in the wind' ". The Plain Dealer. Archived from the original on March 16, 2015 . Retrieved March 16, 2015. Knight has changed her own name legally to Lily[...]but she uses her better-known birth name in public appearances. Over time, Gina broke her friendship with Michelle. Amanda is also not her friend. This happened because Castro pitted the women against each other, preventing them from creating meaningful bonds, friendships, and connections. Fundraising raffle The next day we head to Cleveland's Magnetic North Studio, where Knight is recording a charity single with her 16-year-old friend, Mitchell. The taxi driver, Will, like every cabbie I meet in Cleveland, is keen to talk about Castro and his captives. He tells me that he was friends with the father of Gina DeJesus and would regularly go out looking for her. He passed Castro's house every day. "I didn't have a clue. Can you imagine? Every day I drove past." He is beating himself up about it. "You know, Castro was in a band. I actually went to see them play." It comes out like a confession. "They were pretty good. He played bass guitar." You sense the city shares a kind of collective guilt. a b c Steer, Jen (May 6, 2013). "Cleveland police: Missing teens Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus found alive, appear to be OK". newsnet5.com. Archived from the original on May 12, 2013 . Retrieved May 13, 2013. But many people are still asking: What happened after her escape? How do you re-enter society after years of abuse and isolation? How do you get past the trauma and live a happy and joy filled life? How do you learn to trust again?

Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus, Michelle Knight in Cleveland: Frequently asked questions". The Plain Dealer. May 9, 2013. Archived from the original on May 10, 2013 . Retrieved May 13, 2013. Just about every day [Castro] reminded me that he did not see one single thing on TV or any fliers in the neighborhood about my disappearance." And Castro was right. I didn't dig into this story enough, so I still don't know how on earth nobody was looking for Michelle Knight. Where were the Cleveland Police? I am from Cleveland, and I know the media was referring to the finding of Knight, Berry, and DeJesus as the "The Miracle of Cleveland." But really, shouldn't it be referred to as "The Embarrassment?" Her living room is lit up with the early spring sunshine. One wall is covered with messages of love and faith from local schoolchildren. Next to the punch bag, there is a basketball hoop and a micro-sized pool table – a mini indoor sports area. It is Knight's birthday today (she is 33), and there is a helium balloon hanging from the ceiling, and cake on the kitchen table. "It's the first time I've had a balloon that says Happy Birthday, or flowers, or cards. This is like my first birthday ever."

Ms. Knight is an exceptional and brave woman. The trauma that she has experienced both in Castro's 'house of horrors' and before her abduction are things that no one should ever have to go through. Her dedication and love for her son are commendable. After entering a not guilty plea for Castro on June 12, one of his attorneys, Craig Weintraub, said that although some of the charges against Castro were indisputable, "it is our hope that we can continue to work toward a resolution to avoid having an unnecessary trial about aggravated murder and the death penalty". He noted, "We are very sensitive to the emotional strain and impact that a trial would have on the women, their families and this community". [111] Castro was found competent to stand trial on July 3. [112] Mahoney, Jill (May 10, 2013). "Death penalty possible for alleged Cleveland kidnapper, prosecutor says". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on June 15, 2013 . Retrieved May 14, 2013. I ask whether she ever tried to make sense of what Castro was doing. Yes, she says, he considered the girls a surrogate family. If they were family, what was their relationship to him? "Wives," she says simply. He would tell them he wanted them to be happy. In court, he said: "I hope they can find it in their hearts to forgive me because we had a lot of harmony going on in that home." Leger, Donna Leinwand; Strauss, Gary (May 10, 2013). "Prosecutor: Ariel Castro could face death penalty". USA Today. Archived from the original on May 11, 2013 . Retrieved May 13, 2013.Martinez, Michael (May 13, 2013). "As Ohio women remained in captivity, alleged abductor's life crumbled". CNN. Archived from the original on May 13, 2013 . Retrieved May 14, 2013. a b Atassi, Leila (May 7, 2013). "Michelle Knight's 'normal teenage life,' plagued by troubles in years before disappearance". The Plain Dealer. Archived from the original on June 7, 2013 . Retrieved May 13, 2013. Sheeran, Thomas J. (July 17, 2013). "Ohio kidnapping, rape suspect pleads not guilty". Associated Press. Archived from the original on October 4, 2013 . Retrieved October 4, 2013.

Michelle was a young single mother when she was kidnapped by a local school bus driver named Ariel Castro. For more than a decade afterward, she endured unimaginable torture at the hand of her abductor. In 2003 Amanda Berry joined her in captivity, followed by Gina DeJesus in 2004. Their escape on May 6, 2013, made headlines around the world.

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Amanda Berry's mother asks Psychic Sylvia Browne 'Is she out there' ". WKYC. November 18, 2004 . Retrieved May 13, 2013. Palmer, Kim (May 15, 2013). "Accused Cleveland kidnapper plans to plead not guilty: lawyer". Reuters. Archived from the original on May 15, 2013 . Retrieved May 15, 2013.

Cleveland kidnap accused Castro to plead innocent – lawyers". BBC. May 15, 2013. Archived from the original on May 16, 2013 . Retrieved May 15, 2012. In fact, Knight had been offered a ride by Castro on that fateful August day. As she knew one of his daughters, Knight accepted the lift. She then agreed to enter Castro's Cleveland home, located at 2207 Seymour Avenue, when he promised to give her a puppy for her son. Once inside, Knight was restrained and imprisoned. It was the beginning of years of torture.

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Emotional reunion: Amanda Berry, Charles Ramsey face to face for first time in 6 years". fox8.com. April 25, 2019 . Retrieved April 26, 2019. I received the audiobook via a Goodreads giveaway so firstly I have to say thank you for that. Secondly I want to thank Michelle for having the courage to share her story with the world. What happened to her, Amanda and Gina was truly horrific and I think it goes without saying that something like this should never happen to anyone, ever. Sherwell, Philip (May 7, 2013). "Ohio abductions: friendship between Ariel Castro's daughter and Gina DeJesus". The Daily Telegraph. London, England. Archived from the original on May 8, 2013 . Retrieved May 16, 2013.