Three women abducted and held captive in a house in Cleveland, Ohio for a decade have thanked the public for their support in a YouTube video.
Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight broke their silence in the video, saying the encouragement of family, friends and the public had allowed them to restart their lives.
Former bus driver Ariel Castro is alleged to have kidnapped the women off the streets between 2002 and 2004.
He has pleaded not guilty to 329 charges, including 139 counts of rape, and aggravated murder over the death of an unborn child.
The women were rescued in May when Ms Berry broke through a door at the home and yelled to neighbours for help.
"I'm getting stronger each day and having my privacy has helped immensely," she said in the video.
"I want everyone to know how happy I am to be home with my family and my friends. It’s been unbelievable.
"I want to thank everyone who has helped me and my family through this entire ordeal."
Amanda Berry, Gina deJesus & Michelle Knight, pictured in screen grabs from their Thank You video
Amanda Berry, as she was when she went missing
Ms Berry, now 27, was reportedly forced to give birth to daughter Jocelyn in an inflatable children's paddling pool, with fellow captive Michelle Knight giving the baby mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
In the video, Ms Knight said she had "been through hell and back" but that she was doing well and didn't want to be "consumed by hatred".
Taken at aged 20 and the eldest of three women, she spoke of how her faith in God had helped her deal with the situation.
"I have no problems expressing how I feel inside," she said.
"Be positive; learn that it is important to give than to receive. Thank you for all your prayers. I’m looking forward to my brand-new life."
The three victims' rehabilitation has been helped by more than $1m (£670,000) of public donations to the Cleveland Courage Fund.
Gina DeJesus, now 23 and the youngest of the kidnapped women, spoke briefly only to say "thank you for the support."
However, her father, Felix DeJesus, and aunt Nancy Ruiz, also spoke in the video to thank people for being "awesome".
Castro, 52, was last week refused a visit with the six-year-old girl he fathered with Amanda Berry, with a judge calling the request "inappropriate".
An upcoming meeting will discuss the possibility of seeking the death penalty for the alleged crimes.
Castro's lawyers have previously hinted that he might plead guilty if talk of capital punishment was taken off the table.
A trial is scheduled for August 5, but the judge said it could be delayed.
Above, alleged kidnapper Ariel Castro, 52
