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Kidnapping victim Michelle Knight thanks Cleveland police in a letter sent to the Second District.

(Plain Dealer file photo)

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Michelle Knight, who was held captive by Ariel Castro for more than a decade in his Seymour Avenue home, has written a letter to Cleveland police thanking them for collecting cards and letters from well-wishers, according to news reports.



Knight wrote the letter to Second District Commander Keith Sulzer and other officers. (See the full text of the letter below.)

"I am overwhelmed by the amount of thoughts, love and prayers expressed by complete strangers. It is comforting," Knight wrote. "Life is tough, but I’m tougher!"

Castro is being sentenced this morning in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court. He agreed to a plea deal last week, pleading guilty to 937 charges. He is expected to be sentenced today to life in prison with no chance of parole, plus 1,000 years.

On Wednesday, a sentencing memorandum with the court detailing Castro's crimes was released by Prosecutor Timothy J. McGinty. It includes details of how Castro managed to kidnap Knight, Amanda Berry, and Gina DeJesus and the conditions he forced them to live in during their decade in captivity.

Here is what Knight wrote:

Dear Commander Sulzer, officers and staff,

You don’t know how much I appreciate all your time and work collecting cards and gifts from people for me and the other girls. I am overwhelmed by the amount of thoughts, love and prayers expressed by complete strangers. It is comforting. Life is tough, but I’m tougher! "Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, she became a butterfly." Thanks! God bless you.

Michelle Knight