All eyes are on Cleveland as developments are released about the three missing women found alive after being held captive for 10 years. First Lady Michelle Obama spoke out about the safe recovery of the ladies with Today.
“My heart just… swells up with relief, because just imagine first losing a child and not knowing whether they’re alive or dead or in harm’s way,” said Mrs. Obama.
The process and road to recovery won’t be easy, but Mrs. Obama is confident their families will heal. “These families are going to have to wrap their arms around these young women and make sure that they get all the help and support they need so that they go on and lead healthy, normal lives,” she said. “We’re just grateful that they’re safe. It is probably a parent’s worst nightmare to lose a child in any way, shape or form. But I am just happy for these families that they found their daughters and that they’re alive and safe.”
As breaking, and often tragic, news continues to rock the nation, Mrs. Obama says she’s become accustomed to discussing the events with her two daughters, Malia, 14, and Sasha, 11. “But the one thing we always try to point out is that, yeah, bad things happen, and there are things in life that happen that you have absolutely no control over, but the thing we want them to remember is that the overwhelming majority of people, not just in this country but around the world, are good people doing wonderful things,” said Mrs. Obama.
She assures her children that there’s isn’t a reason to live in fear. “…What we should look at is the beauty of what comes out of people in times of tragedy, how people become heroes and they turn into givers and they sacrifice,” she said. “So there’s a way to turn even the saddest incident into a point of inspiration for our children.”