MINNEAPOLIS — A 12-year-old girl who was shot in the head during a deadly attack at a Minneapolis Catholic church in August was released from the hospital Thursday and greeted with cheers as the police chief paraded her around town in a stretch limousine, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
Sophia Forchas was the most seriously wounded child among those who survived the shooting at the Church of the Annunciation. On August 27, a shooter opened fire with a rifle through the windows of the church, striking some of the nearly 200 children celebrating Mass during the first week of school. The attack tragically killed two children, aged 8 and 10, and wounded 17 others.
Sophia was rushed into surgery after being struck. Her neurosurgeon, Dr. Walt Galicich, revealed that a bullet had lodged in her brain, causing severe damage including injury to a major blood vessel. Surgeons had to remove the left half of her skull to relieve the pressure inside her head.
At a news conference on September 5, Dr. Galicich expressed his deep concern that Sophia could become “the third fatality in this event.” Despite the grim prognosis, Sophia has made remarkable progress. Dr. Galicich gave her a hug as she left the Hennepin County Medical Center, while many others outside held banners and waved in support.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara, who escorted Sophia around the city in a limousine, described her return home as “nothing short of a miracle.” Upon arriving at her school’s parking lot, she was once again met with roaring applause and warm embraces.
Sophia’s parents, Amy and Tom Forchas, released a statement expressing their overwhelming gratitude to the medical professionals who saved their daughter’s life. They described Thursday as “one of the most extraordinary days of our lives.”
While Sophia’s healing journey will continue with outpatient therapy and she still faces a long road to recovery, her parents are encouraged by the daily improvements they see. These include progress in her speech, her ability to walk, and most importantly, “her personality shining through once more.”
Another child seriously injured in the shooting, 12-year-old Lydia Kaiser, who also suffered a traumatic brain injury, was similarly celebrated when she returned to school last week. An online fundraising page has been set up to support Lydia’s family during her recovery.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/girl-shot-minneapolis-church-returns-home-hospital-126819697
