Colorado rock slide survivor says dad saved her

Dec 5, 2013, 5:19 PM

KTAR.com

BUENA VISTA, Colo. (AP) – The Colorado girl who was the only member of her family to survive a rock slide is for the first time publicly describing how her father saved her life by pushing her into a large rock.

Appearing on NBC’s “Today” show Thursday, 13-year-old Gracie Johnson said she covered herself but was still standing in the open before her father helped by pushing her into a rock bigger than she is.

Her father and mother, her 18-year-old sister and two cousins from Missouri were killed in the September slide on a popular trail near her hometown of Buena Vista in south-central Colorado.

Gracie says she’s doing really well and is “healing a lot.” She said she’s thankful for the support of her small town, where she’s still living. An aunt and uncle moved there to take care of her.

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