An 11-year-old girl has miraculously survived a plane crash that took the life of her father and three others in 2021.
Laney Perdue was with her father, Mike Perdue, fellow passengers Kate Leese and Adam Kendall, and the aircraft's yet to be identified pilot on a flight from Charlevoix, Michigan, to Welke Airport on Beaver Island, Michigan, just a 32-mile flight.
It's unclear what caused the plane to come to a crash landing. A helicopter crew from the US Coast Guard Great Lakes was training in the area at the time and responded to the emergency call.
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Christina Perdue is mourning the loss of her husband while being endlessly thankful that her 11-year-old daughter survived the plane crash that took his life.
"[It's] such a tragedy and such a miracle," Perdue told Good Morning America.
Christina Perdue's husband, Mike, and daughter Laney were two of four passengers onboard the twin-engine Britton-Norman BN-2 aircraft traveling from Charlevoix, Michigan, to Welke Airport on Beaver Island. The pilot, who has not been identified, and the other two passengers, Kate Leese and Adam Kendall, were also killed when the plane came to a crash landing.
Laney and Adam Kendall initially both survived the crash. Kendall later succumbed to his injuries at McLaren Northern Michigan Hospital in Petoskey. Laney, who received chest compressions while en route, was stabilized and transferred to DeVos Children's Hospital in Grand Rapids.
Christina Perdue believes her husband holding onto their daughter may have been what saved her life.
"Her last memory is her dad just grabbed her and held her really, really tight," she shared. As a result, Laney's injuries are just on one side of her body. Her other side was shielded by her father's body.
Laney's recovery is progressing, but there's still a long way to go. The 11-year-old can now speak again and has stood up for the first time.
"She has five broken bones all over the place, but she is amazing and she's inspiring," Perdue said.
Investigators from the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are continuing to look into the cause of the crash. A GoFundMe page has been set up to support Perdue and her four children through this unthinkable time.
