Santa Barbara

Teenager Rescued From Montecito Mudslide Sings National Anthem at Dodger Stadium

Since being rescued, the young girl has been healing through music

A determined and talented mudslide survivor took center field Thursday at Dodger Stadium to sing the national anthem.

Lauren Cantin, 15, belted out a moving performance before the Dodgers beat the San Francisco Giants, 9-8.

The teen was rescued from the Montecito mudslide after being buried alive for six hours last year. Video showed firefighters pulling Lauren, covered in mud, to safety after a downpour that triggered a slide on a wildfire-scarred hillside above the Santa Barbara County community. It was an image that provided a ray of light during a morning of devastation when more than 20 people were killed.

Leading up to her performance was nerve wracking, but exciting, she said. For Lauren, singing is a form of therapy.

She's been using it to heal since last year when the mudslide not only swept her away, but also took the lives of her father and her brother. Lauren's mother said she constantly feels the presence of her husband and her son, Jack.

Since the tragedy, Lauren has performed on the Ellen show and at fundraisers for mudslide victims, but her mother says the Dodgers performance is special. Lauren's mother says it is a bucket list item for her and was also one for her father who loved the game of baseball and played in an adult league in Santa Barbara.

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