“YOU ARE THE BRAVEST PERSON I KNOW”: 13-YEAR-OLD MAYA GEBALA FINALLY RETURNS HOME AFTER 262 DAYS IN HOSPITAL FOLLOWING DEVASTATING CANADA SCHOOL śh́óóting
TUMBLER RIDGE, BRITISH COLUMBIA — After 262 days of surgeries, intensive medical treatment and an extraordinary fight for survival, Maya Gebala has finally left the hospital and returned home to her family.
For her father, David Gebala, the moment represents something he once feared he might never experience: the chance to bring his daughter home after one of the darkest days of their lives.
Maya was just 12 years old when she was critically wounded during the mass śh́óóting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in northeastern British Columbia on February 10, 2026. She was shot three times, suffering devastating injuries to her head and neck, including severe brain trauma.
She was airlifted to BC Children’s Hospital in Vancouver, where doctors worked desperately to save her life.
Her condition was so ᑕriᩚtiᩚcal that her family was warned she might not survive the night.
In a heartbreaking update shared on October 29, 2026, David revealed that his daughter had finally been released from the hospital after 262 days of treatment and rehabilitation.
“It’s been 262 days since you were airlifted to BC Children’s Hospital,” he wrote, recalling the moment medical staff told the family they had done everything possible but feared Maya would not make it through the night.
But Maya continued to fight.
A RECOVERY FILLED WITH EXTRAORDINARY MILESTONES
The road to recovery was long and incredibly difficult.
Maya underwent at least five surgeries to address the devastating injuries she sustained. Her treatment included procedures to repair damage to her skull, including a cranioplasty in May, when doctors worked to restore the damaged portion of her skull with a prosthetic piece.
She also experienced serious complications, including hydrocephalus — a buildup of fluid in the brain that required additional medical attention and emergency surgery.
Throughout those months, her parents, David Gebala and Cia Edmonds, shared updates about their daughter’s progress, allowing people across the country to follow her remarkable journey.
Every small improvement became a reason to celebrate.
David recalled the moment Maya first opened and moved one eye, as well as the day she was finally taken off her breathing tube and began breathing independently again.
He also remembered the first time she felt the warmth of the sun on her face after spending so long inside the hospital.
One of the most emotional milestones came when David was finally able to hold his daughter again, 213 days after leaving for work on the morning of the śh́óóting.
Other moments followed.
Maya began communicating with her family using an iPad and a simple yes-or-no system. She eventually regained the ability to speak, with her mother sharing an emotional video in September showing Maya saying her first word: “Mom.”
She also celebrated her 13th birthday with her family, including a special outing to a Foo Fighters concert in Vancouver.
For a family that had once been told to prepare for the worst, every one of these moments represented hope.
HER FATHER NEVER STOPPED BELIEVING
In his announcement celebrating Maya’s release, David reflected on the 262 days that had changed their lives forever.
He described watching his daughter fight through every difficult day and witnessing her achieve milestones that once seemed impossible.
“There was never a day I stopped believing we would get here,” he wrote.
He then shared the words that have touched so many people following Maya’s story:
“Maya, you are the bravest person I know. You are an inspiration to so many people. Giving up was never an option for me, and it clearly never was for you either.”
David also expressed his gratitude to the nurses, doctors and therapists who supported Maya throughout her treatment, as well as everyone who stood beside the family during their most difficult moments.
He ended his message with a heartfelt declaration of love for his daughter, celebrating the beginning of a new chapter outside the hospital walls.
THE tᩚraɢedy THAT CHANGED TUMBLER RIDGE FOREVER
Maya’s story began on February 10, 2026, when a devastating mass śh́óóting shook the small community of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia.
The αttαᑕk took place at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and a nearby residence. Eight victims lost their lives, including five students and an educational assistant at the school, as well as two family members at the residence. The 18-year-old šhσσtєr, Jesse Van Rootselaar, also died.
Maya was among those seriously injured. She and another student were airlifted to BC Children’s Hospital for emergency treatment.
The tᩚraɢedy left families grieving, survivors facing long recoveries and an entire community struggling to come to terms with what had happened.
A NEW CHAPTER BEGINS
Maya’s release from the hospital does not mean her recovery is over.
After such severe injuries and months of intensive treatment, rehabilitation and continued support will remain an important part of her journey. Her family has acknowledged that there is still a long road ahead.
But October 29 marked a milestone that once seemed almost unimaginable.
After 262 days surrounded by hospital walls, Maya is finally home.
For her father, it is more than a hospital discharge. It is the moment he gets to continue watching his daughter grow stronger in the place where she belongs — surrounded by the people who love her most.
Her journey is far from over, but today, there is something extraordinary to celebrate.
Welcome home, Maya. You have shown the world what courage looks like. ❤️
