Heartbreaking Update: Brave 12-Year-Old Maya Gebala Clings to Life in Vancouver Hospital After Horrific School Shooting – Bullet Fragments Still Lodged in Her Brain as She Battles for Every Breath
In a story that’s shattering hearts across Canada and beyond, courageous 12-year-old Maya Gebala remains in critical condition at BC Children’s Hospital in Vancouver, fighting for her young life more than a week after being gunned down in the deadliest school shooting in British Columbia’s history.
The Grade 7 student, described by loved ones as an outgoing, sports-loving girl who adored ice hockey, was shot multiple times—including devastating wounds to her head and neck—while heroically trying to lock a library door to protect her classmates from the rampaging gunman at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School on February 10, 2026.
Bullet fragments remain lodged in her brain, doctors confirm, complicating every aspect of her treatment. Maya is unable to breathe on her own and relies on a ventilator for assisted respiratory support in the intensive care unit. Medical teams are working around the clock to manage swelling, stave off infection, and monitor her fragile neurological status in what experts call a “complex and prolonged” battle.
Her mother, Cia Edmonds, has been by her bedside nonstop, sharing gut-wrenching updates on social media and a GoFundMe page that’s raised hundreds of thousands to cover medical costs and allow the family to stay close. “My baby is in there,” Edmonds posted emotionally. “She’s still fighting… little tiny breath initiations on her own, little eye flickers… we know some healing is happening.”
The nightmare unfolded in the remote mountain town of Tumbler Ridge when 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar—described by authorities as having a history of mental health concerns—first killed her own mother and half-brother at home before storming the school. Armed and determined, the shooter unleashed terror, killing six people inside the building—including five children and a beloved education assistant—before turning the gun on herself as police closed in. In total, eight lives were lost, with dozens more injured in the tragedy that has stunned a nation where such mass school shootings are extraordinarily rare.
Maya’s incredible bravery emerged in the chaos: As screams filled the hallways, she and her classmates desperately tried to barricade the library door. The lock was broken, and the gunman forced entry. Maya hid under a desk but was struck three times—one bullet grazing her cheek and ear, the others hitting her head and neck. Despite her grievous injuries, she survived long enough to be airlifted to Vancouver’s premier pediatric facility.
Doctors have kept her in a medically induced coma to give her brain the best chance to heal, but progress is agonizingly slow and uncertain. Small signs—like slight movements on her left side and independent breathing attempts—have given her family glimmers of hope amid the darkness. “She’s progressing a little bit each day,” a family member shared. Yet the road ahead is daunting: Even if stabilized, Maya faces months or years of rehabilitation, neurological therapy, and lifelong monitoring.
The Vancouver community—and indeed all of Canada—has rallied in an outpouring of support. Prayer gatherings, candlelight vigils, and floods of online messages have poured in, with strangers calling Maya a “beautiful, strong little girl” who “has to get through this.”
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In one touching update, Maya’s cousin Krysta Hunt revealed how close the family came to the unthinkable: Doctors once discussed organ donation options, but Maya’s tiny improvements shifted her from end-of-life considerations to intensive care focus. “The entire world is cheering her on,” Edmonds wrote, vowing to keep singing and talking to her daughter.
The shooting has reignited painful debates about gun access, mental health support, and school safety—even in a country with strict firearm laws. Tumbler Ridge, a tight-knit community of just a few thousand nestled in the Rockies, is grieving deeply, with memorials sprouting up and neighbors leaning on one another.
For now, all eyes remain on the brave girl in the hospital bed. Maya Gebala—once full of energy, smiles, and dreams—is fighting with everything she has. Her family begs for continued prayers and positive thoughts as medical teams battle to bring her back from the brink.
As one supporter posted: “Maya is fighting. And so are we—for her, for all the victims, for a future where no child has to endure this.”
The nation holds its breath, praying for a miracle for this extraordinary young hero. Updates will continue as her condition evolves—but today, the message is clear: This little girl is not giving up. Neither will we.
