Singing the National Anthem at Thursday night’s Dodgers game in Los Angeles, Montecito mudslide survivor Lauren Cantin crossed off a bucket list item for not only herself but also for her late father.
Cantin was home with her family when the mudslide swept through Montecito in the early-morning hours of Jan. 9, 2018. She was buried alive for six hours before being pulled from the mud by rescuers. Her father, Dave, was killed and her brother, Jack, has never been found.
In an interview with KNBC Thursday, the teen said being chosen to perform at Dodger Stadium was “nerve-wracking but really exciting.”
Cantin has performed many times since the disaster nearly a year-and-a-half ago, including on “Ellen,” at various fundraisers benefitting mudslide victims and at a remembrance ceremony in Montecito a year after the deadly debris flow. She says “music heals the soul.”
Cantin’s mother, Kim, told KNBC her husband loved baseball. He played on an adult league in Santa Barbara and Kim says 17 of the players attended Thursday night’s game to watch Lauren sing.
Accompanied by the organ, Lauren performed a beautiful rendition of the National Anthem before the Dodgers beat the Giants with a score of 9-8. While many likely became choked up watching the teen’s performance knowing all she has been through since January 2018, Lauren kept her composure.
After the final note, she lowered the microphone, smiled and breathed what was likely a sigh of relief knowing her performance honoring both her brother and father was complete.
Related:
Mudslide survivor looks back on year of loss, recovery
1 year later: Remembering the Montecito mudslide
