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Profile in courage from young Joplin tornado survivor

Mason rode out the Joplin EF-5 tornado in a pickup truck...

June 23, 2011|Paul Adler, KY3 News and Tom Schultheis, KY3 News

10 year old Mason Lillard of Sringfield helped plant a tree at Joplin's Freeman Hospital to honor hospital employees who died in the tornado. The ceremony also paid tribute to healthcare workers who cared for tornado survivors.

Mason rode out the storm in her grandfather's truck. Ky3's Paul Adler shows us how this child is showing strength and courage during a tough recovery.

Paul reports, hanging at a pool with family and friends... and just being allowed to dip your toes in the water is just plain torture for kids. But, this ten year old is strong. In fact, Mason shows courage in more ways than one (she wears an armband that says "courage").

Mason says, "whenever it hit we were still in the truck..."

Mason rode out the Joplin EF-5 tornado in a pickup truck... Mason remembers, "I was on the floorboard."

She was visiting her grandparents... and they'd stopped at the Home Depot.

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Mason says, "I saw the tornado... The inside of it.."

When the twisting and turning and tossing of Grandma and Grandpa's red pickup ended... The truck was no longer in the parking lot... It was in the Home Depot. And this rod (pictured in story)... jammed through Mason's arm into her chest and out her back.

Mason says, "whenever it hit us... I'm like Lord protect us.. Don't let us die... I don't want to die..."

Mason's Mom Michelle says, "it was hard to let it all kind of soak in..."

Mason spent nearly two weeks in the hospital...

Michelle says, "God is great."

Countless people from the parking lot to Freeman Hospital in Joplin to Children's Mercy in Kansas City helped her get to this point... where she could dangle her legs in the water...

Michelle says, "I'm just thankful to the people who were there... Got her out... Got her triaged and to where she needed to be...I think they did and awesome job."

Paul reports, maybe.., by the end of the summer... She'll be able to splash once again...

Michelle says, "it makes me appreciate it (litle things in life)... I know that.."

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