McKeesport Woman Held Hostage Offers Support To Cleveland Women
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Tanya Kach was a McKeesport teen - held hostage by her school security guard Thomas Hose for 10 years before finally breaking free.
She understands what the ordeal has been like for the three recently discovered Cleveland, Ohio women.
"I wasn't physically restrained, but mentally," Kach said. "And sadly, I hear they were physically restrained and mentally restrained. But the one girl had the power to get out and it takes a lot of courage to do that."
For Kach, now aged 31, watching the drama unfold in the Cleveland, Ohio story also means reliving the drama of her own story.
She was held captive in a McKeesport home, before finally escaping to a neighborhood store and telling the local owner who she was.
"It was like hearing my voice all over again at 24," Kach said. "Chills just ran all through me. I went upstairs to watch it, and I just couldn't stop crying because I knew what they went through."
Kach is still recovering from everything she experienced.
Her support system includes her fiancé - and she says - beginning today, support is what her counterparts in Cleveland will need more than anything.
"Stay strong, stay focused, you have your whole life ahead of you now," she said.
Listen to Kach on NewsRadio 1020 KDKA:
Tanya Kach
Which is what Kach is trying to focus on now.
She says she'd like to go to Cleveland to offer support to the newest victims to this very small club - of women - held captive for years, but live to tell of their ordeals.
Alicia Kozakiewicz also knows what it's like to be kidnapped. She was lured away from her Crafton Heights home by an internet predator over a decade ago. She was taken to the man's home in northern Virginia were she described the basement she was kept in as a "dungeon."
Kozakiewicz ironically was attending an Amber Alert conference in Jacksonville Florida where was using one of the victims, Amanda Berry, in her presentation as she goes around the country warning of the dangers of kidnappers and online predators.
She says she feels, "Amazing and that it's a miracle," that they were found.
The conference she attended had about 40 families whose child is missing. Kozakiewicz says families are searching, "tirelessly and not giving up hope and when they heard this news you could see their face light up and think 'oh my gosh that could be my child' and it gave them a whole new sense of hope."
Kozakiewicz gave some insight into what she thinks the women are feeling now and will feel in the weeks and months to come.
Listen to Kozakiewicz on NewsRadio 1020 KDKA:
Alicia Kozakiewicz
"They might just be overwhelmed with happiness," she said.
She added that the pain is there but its overshadowed by seeing your family.
"I'm sure they'll suffer from nightmares, flashbacks and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder)," she said. "There may be some very hard days ahead but it will get better."
She says they will get through with a great support structure.
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