Michelle Knight, one of the three victims held hostage and tortured in Cleveland for almost 11 years, revealed during a local interview that she has forgiven her kidnapper, Ariel Castro, and has found peace in her life.

While speaking at Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin High School in Ohio on Sunday, Knight opened up about being kidnapped in 2002, at the age 21, and being physically and sexually abused by the notorious kidnapper. She also thanked therapy for helping her realize that Castro was plagued by a disease.

"At first I hated him," she said, according to The Plain Dealer. "But I went through therapy and realized it hadn't been his fault. He had a disease."

Knight said that Castro told her the reason why he kidnapped her was because he was a "sex addict" and could not control himself.

After about a year and a half after she was freed, Knight said that she reached a breakthrough and "was able to say his name."

"I was able to forgive him," the 33-year-old survivor said.

Castro also kidnapped and tormented two other young women in the early 2000s, Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus. However, all of the women escaped in May 2013 when a Good Samaritan heard Berry yelling for help inside of Castro's house.

After being arrested, Castro pleaded guilty to 937 counts of rape, kidnapping and aggravated murder and was sentenced to life in prison without parole. However, he committed suicide just one month into his sentence.

When asked about her reaction to Castro's suicide death, Knight said she felt "appalled."

She went on to say that her time in captivity has helped her get to know herself better and made her a stronger person.

"The situation (Castro) put me in didn't define me," she said. "I choose to live a meaningful life."

Knight, who has written an autobiography called "Finding Me," says "a lot of people who have contacted me through Facebook see me as an inspiration. It means the world to me and it is an honor to help everybody I can," reports The Associated Press.