MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A 12-year-old girl shot in the head during a deadly attack at a Catholic church in Minneapolis less than a month ago is making 'miraculous' progress, her family said in a statement.
Sophia Forchas, who was the most seriously wounded child among those who survived the shooting at the Church of the Annunciation, will move this week from acute care to an inpatient rehabilitation program, her family said.
While her medical team remains cautiously optimistic, the family said that Sophia shows signs of neurological recovery just weeks after doctors were unsure whether she would survive.
'Sophia is strong, brave, and unwavering in her fight toward healing. We ask that you continue to pray for her as she walks this road to recovery. It is by God’s will that she has come this far,' her family stated in an announcement released Monday by Hennepin Healthcare, where she is undergoing care.
Sophia and her classmates at Annunciation Catholic School were celebrating the first Mass of the new school year when a shooter opened fire through a window, tragically killing two students and injuring 21 others. The shooter reportedly died by suicide.
Sophia’s mother, a nurse at Hennepin Healthcare, only learned of her daughter's injury after arriving to treat victims of the shooting.
Sophia underwent emergency surgery, with neurosurgeon Dr. Walt Galicich noting that a bullet had lodged in her brain, inflicting severe damage to vital areas, including a major blood vessel. The surgery required the removal of the left half of her skull to relieve pressure within her head.
'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 Forchas, who was the most seriously wounded child among those who survived the shooting at the Church of the Annunciation, will move this week from acute care to an inpatient rehabilitation program, her family said.
While her medical team remains cautiously optimistic, the family said that Sophia shows signs of neurological recovery just weeks after doctors were unsure whether she would survive.
'Sophia is strong, brave, and unwavering in her fight toward healing. We ask that you continue to pray for her as she walks this road to recovery. It is by God’s will that she has come this far,' her family stated in an announcement released Monday by Hennepin Healthcare, where she is undergoing care.
Sophia and her classmates at Annunciation Catholic School were celebrating the first Mass of the new school year when a shooter opened fire through a window, tragically killing two students and injuring 21 others. The shooter reportedly died by suicide.
Sophia’s mother, a nurse at Hennepin Healthcare, only learned of her daughter's injury after arriving to treat victims of the shooting.
Sophia underwent emergency surgery, with neurosurgeon Dr. Walt Galicich noting that a bullet had lodged in her brain, inflicting severe damage to vital areas, including a major blood vessel. The surgery required the removal of the left half of her skull to relieve pressure within her head.
'Though she still has a long journey ahead, filled with extensive therapy, her resilience continues to inspire hope at every step,' her family said.
