Twelve-Year-Old Girl Faces Significant Brain Damage After Shooting

A twelve-year-old girl, Maya Gebala, is fighting for her life after sustaining serious injuries during a mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, on February 10, 2024. According to her mother, Cia Edmonds, Maya has suffered significant damage to the left side of her brain and remains in critical condition at B.C. Children’s Hospital in Vancouver. The tragic incident resulted in the deaths of nine individuals, including the shooter, and left 27 others injured.

Edmonds provided updates on Maya’s condition through social media, revealing that she underwent surgery for multiple gunshot wounds. “There’s damage to her brain stem from where the bullet exited,” she wrote in a Facebook post. “Because of the damage and swelling surrounding it, it is hard to say how much response and deliberate function she will be able to regain; however, we are hopeful.” The bullet entered and exited the left side of Maya’s brain, causing extensive damage.

Mixed Emotions Amid Progress

Despite the severity of Maya’s injuries, Edmonds noted some positive signs in her recovery. “The progress is so uplifting,” she expressed, while also voicing concerns about the potential for Maya’s condition to deteriorate. “She has been cleared for a feeding tube and is not considered to be in immediate danger of passing. However, there are still many fears,” Edmonds added. She highlighted the risks of complications, such as fluid buildup in Maya’s lungs and the possibility of her heart stopping.

Edmonds emphasized the importance of the global support her family has received during this challenging time. “I believe that positive energy and prayer have helped her to rise above the imminent and dire initial expectations,” she stated. “We cannot stop now; we have so far to go yet.”

Community Support and Fundraising Efforts

To assist Maya and her family during this difficult time, a GoFundMe page has been established. So far, over $420,000 has been raised to support her medical expenses. Another fund has been created in memory of her teammate, Ezekiel Schofield, who tragically lost his life in the shooting.

While Edmonds appreciates the outpouring of support, she has urged well-wishers to refrain from visiting Maya in the hospital. “There are other children and families with their own flavor of tragedy, and the last thing they need is to feel bombarded,” she wrote. “Maya also needs rest.”

As the community rallies around Maya and her family, the road to recovery remains uncertain but filled with hope.