LINCOLNTON, N.C. -- Lincoln County's Apple Queen made her first appearance in the annual Christmas parade Sunday after being involved in a bad car crash last week. 

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West Lincoln High School senior Ana Perez-Ochoa and her father, Ideao Perez, were in a head-on collision the day before Thanksgiving. She was seriously injured but her father didn't survive.

Since Perez-Ochoa was in the ICU, no one was expecting her to be in the parade. However, Cheryl Burgess, her pageant coordinator, said it was something she'd been looking forward to since winning the title in August.

Burgess said they'll continue supporting the Perez-Ochoa family during this difficult time.

“I can't wrap my mind around what they must be going through right now, but they're a strong family. They're very close and I know they'll come out on the other side of this even stronger,” said Burgess.

Community members set up a Gofundme account for the family.