Community Prays for 12-Year-Old Shot While Closing Library Door to Protect Friends

Maya Gebala didn’t run for cover — she ran toward danger to protect others. During the devastating shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia, the 12-year-old was shot in the head and neck while trying to shut the library door and shield her classmates from the gunfire.

According to reports, the suspected gunman, 18-year-old Jesse van Rootselaar, killed eight people before he was later found dead.

Now Maya is clinging to life in a Vancouver hospital after undergoing emergency brain surgery. Her mother, Cia Edmonds, shared a heartbreaking plea with the public: “Our baby needs a miracle.”

The tragedy has sent shockwaves across the country, leaving a community grieving — and praying for Maya’s recovery.