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Woman Suffers 3rd Degree Burns After Jeep Catches Fire At Jeepers Jamboree

DAVIS (CBS13) - She's 21 years old and fighting for her life after her Jeep rolled over on the Rubicon Trail in El Dorado County.

Rachel Gray is laying in a hospital bed with third degree burns over 75 percent of her body and several serious injuries that will keep her here for months.

"I didn't know if she was going to make it," said Chris Patton, friend of Gray.

Patton still can't believe what happened to his friend.

Gray was rock crawling in the El Dorado National Forest on Rubicon Trail.

Her jeep went off the side of a cliff and caught fire. Gray was thrown out and air lifted to the hospital.

"For her, it's a day to day battle. It's a daily effort for her," said Patton.

She took part in Jeepers Jamboree, one of the largest off road gatherings in the world and Gray loved the adventure.

Now she's suffering from third degree burns, crushed ribs, broken shoulder blade and pelvis, and she even had her leg amputated.

"She likes to run marathons, and that's one of the things I've kind of compared it to," said Patton. "This is the longest marathon she's going to run but she doesn't know the word quit."

And, neither do her friends.

In three days they've started the Rage Foundation, which is raising money for Gray's medical bills and her family.

They hope to raise more money this weekend at Nor Cal Rock Racing in Prairie City.

"So we are going to do everything that we can to make sure she has everything that she needs," said friend Tyler Fritz.

After talking to her friends, it's clear Gray certainly has the drive to make a full recovery.

"She's always been the most happy free-spirited incredible person," said Fritz.

Gray's recovery will probably take at least six months before she's moved from the burn unit but friends and family are quite hopeful.

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