Colorado rock slide survivor says dad saved her

Dec 5, 2013, 5:19 PM

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.

(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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Colorado rock slide survivor says dad saved her