Michelle Knight, One of 3 Women Kidnapped and Raped by Ariel Castro, Forgives Captor

In this Thursday, Aug. 1, 2013 file photo, Michelle Knight speaks during the sentencing phase for Ariel Castro, right, in a Cleveland courtroom. The list of missing people in Cleveland makes up about one out of every 10 cases in the entire state. Most are found within a few weeks, but there are more than 22 people who have been gone for more than a year. Photo: Tony Dejak, AP

One of the three women held captive in a Cleveland house before escaping last year said she forgives the man who kidnapped and tortured her for nearly a decade.

Michelle Knight, interviewed Monday on NBC’s “Today” show, said Ariel Castro deserves forgiveness because she’d want to be forgiven if she did wrong, and “that’s the way of life.”

She added, “he is a human being and every human being needs to be loved,” even if he did wrong.

Tuesday is the anniversary of the escape from the house by Knight, Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus. Knight, 33, said she doesn’t see much of the other two women, saying “we’re all now living in our own way.”

Knight — who has a book coming out Tuesday — said she’s a singer who just recorded a song, and she’s also training to be a boxer.

The 53-year-old Castro pleaded guilty in August to hundreds of charges and committed suicide in prison.

Knight said in the interview that she was surprised when Castro killed himself, wondering “why would he hurt his children like that?”

The women disappeared separately between 2002 and 2004. Berry was 14, DeJesus was 16 and Knight was 20. They were rescued from Castro’s run-down house May 6, 2013, after Berry broke through a screen door.

Berry and DeJesus are collaborating with two Washington Post reporters on a book due out next year. Charles Ramsey, the man credited with helping the women escape from the house, also has written a book.

SOURCE: The Associated Press