The 12-year-old girl who was a victim of the Minneapolis Catholic Church shooting after being shot is making a "miraculous" recovery.
The girl, identified as seventh grader Sophia Forchas, was shot in the head and was among the most seriously injured of the victims during the tragic incident. After she was struck on Aug. 27, the 12-year-old was left on the brink of death.
Victim of Annunciation Catholic School Shooting
In a statement, her family said that Sophia is "strong, brave, and unwavering in her fight toward healing." They revealed that the young girl was moved to an inpatient rehabilitation program and was showing signs of neurological recovery.
The family said that Sophia surviving the brutal attack is a "miracle," adding that her healing process is nothing short of "miraculous." In the aftermath of the shooting, doctors said that Sophia's chances of survival were slim. The attack left two children dead and 18 others injured, according to the New York Post.
Earlier this month, neurosurgeon Dr. Walt Galicich said that the bullet that struck Sophia was lodged in her brain in a critical area. This left experts wary of removing it for fears of making her condition worse.
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Galicich warned that he would be forced to go through the "normal brain" in order to get the bullet out of the 12-year-old's body. He noted that if left alone, it could cause more damage, giving the young girl a lower chance of survival.
The Forchas family's announcement of Sophia's recovery comes as Annunciation Catholic School completed its first week of limited on-campus activities since the shooting. It previously resumed partial operations on Sept. 16, ABC News reported.
A Miraculous Recovery
The school offered students "activities centered on support, connection, and play." Support staff from the Washburn Center for Children and the Minnesota Department of Education were also on site to provide assistance.
Law enforcement authorities identified the shooter in the attack as 23-year-old Robin Westman, a former student whose mother previously worked at the church. The shooter was described as having a "deranged obsession with previous mass shooters." After his shooting spree, Westman died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
It was also revealed that Sophia's younger brother, who was also a student at Annunciation Catholic School, was inside the school during the shooting. Fortunately, he was not physically injured, his family said.
The 12-year-old girl's mother was an employee in the pediatric intensive care unit, where she was in critical condition. A GoFundMe was launched to cover her medical expenses as well as recovery and trauma counseling, as per People.
