“I feel like I have lived a lot of lifetimes,” Jaycee told ABC News’ Diane Sawyer in a 20/20 interview on July 8. That’s not surprising. Jaycee was kidnapped when she was 11, and spent 18 years held captive by a man named Phillip Garrido, who frequently raped her. She had two daughters as a result of the assaults. However, she managed to survive and to thrive.
Jaycee Dugard: Pics Of Her & Other Kidnapping Victims
Jaycee insists that she doesn’t have what some call “Stockholm syndrome,” which is when a captive develops what they think is love for their captor. “Having my family believe that I was in love with this captor and wanted to stay with him? I mean, that is so far from the truth that it makes me want to throw up,” Jaycee said. “It’s disgusting. I adapted to survive my circumstances. There is just no other way to put it.” Taking control of the situation and telling people what she does and doesn’t need to hear has been a huge help in beginning to heal.
“It’s taken a lot of time and it hasn’t come overnight,” she explained. “You have to put in the hard work and cry and, for sure, laugh about everything that you can. There was not a day that I didn’t cry… I felt like there would never, ever be a day that I didn’t cry again.” Luckily, she has made intense progress in moving past the ordeal, and now she’s better than ever.
In a smiling photo she posted in Instagram beside Diane, she said “thank you Diane for telling my story so beautifully! I just watched it with my family for the first time and loved it all! Loved being with her again we had such a good time filming. Thank you to the entire crew!” We’re so happy for Jaycee, and so are her supporters that tuned in to the interviews. Here are their heartfelt reactions:
https://twitter.com/Melindesign/status/751605149605429248
https://twitter.com/teresawestwww/status/751604898861551616
https://twitter.com/KPA2/status/751604328729718784
https://twitter.com/kristenewallace/status/751601944360210432
https://twitter.com/tianaotrejo/status/751598627219398657
HollywoodLifers, what did you think of Jaycee’s interview? Share your thoughts with us!