LONGMONT — A 17-year-old girl whose legs were severed Monday after she tried to jump on a train is awake, joking with siblings and eating at Denver Health, according to police.

Cmdr. Jeff Satur said Friday that he spoke with Anna “Rush” Beninati’s father, who said he hopes to return to Utah soon with his daughter so she can begin her rehabilitation closer to home.

Beninati moved to Colorado from Sandy, Utah, earlier this year to study at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. She and three friends had visited Denver and received a ride on Monday to Longmont, where they planned to jump a Burlington Northern train back to Fort Collins, according to police. One of Beninati’s friends jumped onto the train near Third Avenue and Atwood Street. A second fell and suffered minor abrasions. When Beninati fell from the train and onto the tracks, her legs were severed, one above the knee, the other below. One of her friends, 25-year-old Charlie Hamilton of Gillette, Wyo., pulled her away from the tracks and started first aid to try to stop the bleeding, Satur said.

Passers-by, including a nurse and a former EMT, rushed to her side and worked to control the bleeding and keep her awake until an ambulance arrived. She was taken first to Longmont United Hospital and then to Denver Health for treatment.

Satur said Beninati’s family is grateful to those who helped, including Hamilton, who Satur said was a medic in the military.

Her family released a statement Friday updating her status.

She remains in serious condition.

Anna is a vibrant young woman who combines her passion for music with a passion for helping autistic children, having mentored these special children while in high school. Anna found the best of both words at CSU, where she has chosen to major in music therapy and eventually work with children with autism spectrum disorders,” according to the statement released by Denver Health.

We appreciate the heartwarming … support shown to Anna by the community and her new friends in Fort Collins. We are also grateful for the care she is receiving at Denver Health Medical Center. Anna’s close friends know her by Rush, a nickname she earned from a school teacher not by rushing through assignments, but for her eagerness to see what is next. Anna is an adventurer by heart, and we believe this experience will make her stronger on her next adventure.”

Pierrette J. Shields can be reached at 303-684-5273 or pshields@times-call.com.