LOS ANGELES _ Lauren Cantin is fighting a case of nerves as she steps into the spotlight at the Arlington Theatre in Santa Barbara. In just a few moments she will launch into her second number as a contestant in "Teen Star," a local "American Idol"-like competition, singing for 2,000 people. She is hoping her night will end with a crown.
Dressed in a chic red jumpsuit, the baby-faced 15-year-old, one of four finalists, looks out into the darkened theater.
There's a knot in her chest as she thinks about her father and brother, both of whom died in the early morning hours of Jan. 9, 2018, when mudslides tore through their Montecito home. She scans the audience for a glimpse of her mother, who after the slide had been found atop a debris pile, suffering from massive gashes in her right leg and arm. Lauren pushes away memories of being buried alive for six hours.
Fifteen months after the disaster, those memories can resurface at any time, and she knows she needs to avoid the emotional black hole that opened during her trauma.
Lauren breathes deep and hits her first note, showcasing the voice that continues to be the instrument of her salvation. Singing has allowed her to move on with her life. Even if the specter of the hole never quite goes away.
