Katie Couric interviews 'runaway bride'

Wilbanks: And this is the part a lot of the people don't know. I had a bottle of pills. Or I had the bus ticket. And I decided not to play God that day. And decided when it was time for me to go. So I got on that bus. Were there other alternatives? Sure there were. But that's all I knew at that moment, Katie. And you know I'm so ashamed. And feel so guilty for the people that I have hurt. And how, you know, how this has affected many people's lives. But at the same time, it's the best mistake I ever made. It allowed me to realize that I desperately needed help. And that was what I did. And that's what I'm getting now.

Couric: You say you had a bottle of pills. Were you seriously considering suicide?

Wilbanks: Yes.

Couric: Clearly, these demons don't kind of show up over night.

Wilbanks: Exactly.

Couric: How long had you been wrestling with this?

Wilbanks: This is the sad part about it for me. Since birth.  

Couric: Have they told you it's depression or panic disorder or anxiety?

Wilbanks: All of the above.

Couric: Have they-- so, they've diagnosed you with anything specifically or--

Mason: No.

Wilbanks: We're not supposed to put labels on it.

Couric: Ammunition?

Wilbanks: Yeah. And that hurts.

Couric: Some people are furious about this, livid, that you concocted this story, that you misled your family and friends and the general public. What would you say to those people right now, who are watching this and are still hopping mad about this?

Mason: I tell them, please be patient.

Wilbanks: I have got to first of all, learn to be happy with myself so that I can have confidence that others will be happy with me. And that's a work in progress.    

The court has determined Jennifer should make amends for all the grief she's caused. She's been put on two years probation and will do 120 hours of some kind of community service. Over four days, $66,000 worth of law enforcement resources were dedicated to her search. She has paid the city of Duluth more than $13,000 dollars for their share of overtime and extra expenses and will pay $2,500 more to the sheriff's office.

But there are those who say it isn't enough. And many people in Duluth are angry at reports she and John have sold the rights to their life story for a possible movie or book deal.

Couric: Someone I know said she just wanted to be famous. I think a lot of people have all sorts of theories and explanations for why you did what you did. When you hear that, what do you think?

Wilbanks: How can anybody think that that's what I was trying to gain out of this?

Mason: I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy.

Wilbanks: You know, I wish you were interviewing me because I had won “American Idol.” You know? Not because of this. Who in the world wants all their secrets out there? Not me. Not like this, anyway.

Jennifer Wilbanks hopes that when people learn her full story they will come to see her as she sees herself, as a real person with real problems, not as a headline.

Couric: What do you hope people take away from this interview, Jennifer?

Wilbanks: I hope that people, will allow me to learn who I truly am. So I hope that as I go through this healing process and start to learn more about myself, accept myself, love myself for who I am, then everybody else will, too. And that I will no longer be the runaway bride. Then maybe a lot of these people could call me "friend," or call me by my real name, Jennifer.