The 12-year-old girl who had a bullet lodged in her brain during the deadly shooting at a Minneapolis Catholic church is making a “miraculous” recovery, her family said.
Seventh grader Sophia Forchas was the most seriously wounded of the children who survived the massacre at the Church of the Annunciation on Aug. 27, with the child suffering a shot to the head that left her on the brink of death.
“Sophia is strong, brave, and unwavering in her fight toward healing,” her family said in a statement, revealing that she has been moved to an inpatient rehabilitation program and showing signs of neurological recovery.
“Sophia surviving this horrific attack is a miracle,” they added. “Her healing progress is nothing short of miraculous.”
In the aftermath of the horrific shooting, which left two children dead and 18 others injured, Sophia’s chances of survival were slim, doctors said.
Neurosurgeon Dr. Walt Galicich told reporters earlier this month that the bullet that was lodged in her brain was in a critical area that left experts wary of removing it, even 10 days after the shooting.
Galicich warned that he would have to “go through the normal brain” to get the bullet out, which could cause more damage with a low chance of survival.
The surgeons had to remove the left half of Sophia’s skull to relieve the pressure inside her head.
Despite the low chances, Sophia managed to make it out of the procedure alive, with her neurological functions slowly returning in recent weeks.
The family said that she is now showing signs of progress and even able to breath on her own.
The hospital has now cleared the 12-year-old to leave an acute care ward and join an inpatient rehab program to monitor her recovery.
“Though she still has a long journey ahead, filled with extensive therapy, her resilience continues to inspire hope at every step,” her family said.
“Sophia is winning! Your Prayers are working,” they added, thanking their supporters.
The recovery marked a small sigh of relief for the Forchas family, whose 9-year-old son was also inside the church at the time of the shooting but was able to avoid injury.
Sophia’s mother was a nurse at Hennepin Healthcare, which is treating her daughter, and was working on the day of the shooting not knowing that her own child was among the victims.
