A 6-year-old girl who almost drowned in June is recovering from a traumatic brain injury.

Trinity Dickerson is at a rehabilitation center outside the Bismarck-Mandan community. She was at a local hospital while she was in a coma and in the pediatric intensive care unit.

"She was a very vivacious, active, intelligent little girl," said Shealeen Hillerson, a family spokeswoman. She is the godmother of Trinity and her sister, Angel Dickerson. They are the daughters of Kristina and Brandon Dickerson of Bismarck.

Trinity will be at the rehabilitation center until the family can make some changes at home. The family needs to make its housing wheelchair accessible, and replace the carpet with laminate to reduce contaminant in the house that could harm Trinity, Hillerson said. They also need a wheelchair-accessible vehicle.

"It's very hard on them (the family), being separated from their daughter," Hillerson said.

The parents have taken time off from work to be able to be with their daughter.

Once she is home, she will need 24-hour care and continue physical therapy, occupational therapy and other treatment, Hillerson said.

A freewill donation benefit breakfast is scheduled Sunday at Charity Lutheran Church, on the corner of North Washington Street and Aspen Avenue. It is set from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

A benefit account also is set up at American Bank Center to help with the family's expenses. People can make donations to the Trinity Dickerson Benefit Fund at any American Bank Center branch or mail it to the branch at 325 W. Arbor Ave., Bismarck, N.D. 58504.

The family also is raising money through an online fundraiser at www.fundable.com/groupactions/groupaction.2008-07-09.3752031736/group action_view. This Web site allows users to read an update about Trinity and make donations using credit card or PayPal. This site is up through Aug. 22.

Trinity was at the Mandan Community Center with a Kids Club group from Riverside Elementary School on June 13. The Mandan Police Department received a 911 call at 1:46 p.m. about a near drowning. When EMS and ambulance arrived, she was already receiving CPR, Mandan Police Chief Dennis Bullinger said on the day of the incident.

(Reach Sara Kincaid at 250-8251 or sara.kincaid@bismarcktribune.com.)