HER EYES FLUTTER WHEN SHE HEARS HER MOM SING. In the quiet of a Vancouver hospital room, a mother’s voice breaks through the machines—one tiny, powerful response at a time.

12-year-old Maya Gebala, the brave girl who tried to lock the library door to shield her classmates during the Tumbler Ridge school shooting, remains in critical condition at BC Children’s Hospital. No movement on her right side—doctors compare the damage to a severe stroke from the bullet that tore through her brain. Yet she’s showing small but profound signs:

Twelve-year-old Maya Gebala, gravely wounded in last week’s mass shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, continues to fight for recovery in critical condition at BC Children’s Hospital, with her mother reporting subtle but meaningful responses including eye fluttering when she sings.

The February 10, 2026, attack left eight dead—including six children aged 11-13, a 39-year-old educator, the shooter’s mother and half-brother (killed earlier at home), and the 18-year-old shooter, who died by suicide. Maya was among 27 injured, airlifted after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds to the head and neck while attempting to lock the library door to protect classmates.

Maya’s parents, Cia Edmonds and David Gebala, have maintained a bedside vigil. In updates shared via the family’s GoFundMe page (which has raised over $420,000 for recovery costs) and social media, Edmonds described incremental progress amid ongoing concerns. Maya was initially placed in a medically induced coma post-surgery to manage brain swelling. Doctors prepared the family for the possibility she would not survive the first night due to severe brain damage.

Recent developments include reduced ventilator support as Maya began taking breaths independently. Edmonds reported increased left-side movements—hand, leg, and other responses—while the right side shows no movement, likened by medical staff to effects of a severe stroke. Eyes flutter when Edmonds sings or speaks, appearing to track her voice during moments of apparent wakefulness, though pupils do not react to light, raising concerns about vision impairment.

Significant damage occurred on the left side of the brain from the bullet’s entry and exit path, with surrounding swelling affecting the brain stem. Doctors have cautioned that recovery will not be linear, with potential long-term impacts on mobility, cognition, or other functions uncertain. Maya has been moved from intensive care to a recovery unit, a shift Edmonds described as moving from “goodbyes” to rehabilitation focus.

Despite setbacks—including the recent theft of Maya’s paddle board from her mother’s truck parked outside the hospital—Edmonds has emphasized faith and gratitude for community support. “She’s still fighting,” she wrote, noting small victories like coughing, limb twitches, and now vocal responses. The family has urged well-wishers to continue prayers while avoiding politicization of the tragedy, expressing compassion even for the shooter’s family.

Other survivors show varied progress. Nineteen-year-old Paige Hoekstra, shot in the chest, underwent surgery and was cleared to return home to Tumbler Ridge, offering encouragement to families still waiting.

The Tumbler Ridge community, devastated by the loss, has held vigils and memorials, with provincial and national leaders attending. British Columbia established condolence books, and mental health resources have been bolstered temporarily, though residents express concern about long-term support in the remote town.

Maya’s story has captured widespread attention through media coverage from CBC, Vancouver Sun, Global News, and others. Her attempted heroism in the library—trying to secure the door amid chaos—has been highlighted in survivor accounts and family statements. Edmonds has shared that Maya “stayed a moment longer” to help others before being struck.

The RCMP investigation into the shooter’s motives continues, focusing on mental health history and prior contacts, with no broader threat identified. Police have emphasized community safety while the town grieves.

For the Gebala family, each day brings a mix of hope and hardship. Edmonds’ posts reflect the emotional toll: heavy days, unwavering faith, and belief in her daughter’s strength. “To the moon and all the stars in the sky,” she has written as a term of endearment.

As Maya remains in critical but showing signs of resilience, the coming period remains pivotal for assessing response to treatment, managing complications, and planning next steps—potentially including rehabilitation, possible feeding support, or addressing hemiparesis-like effects.

The outpouring of support continues, with donations aiding travel, medical needs, and future care. Hockey communities have rallied, noting Maya’s love for the sport. Messages from across Canada and beyond flood in, underscoring the impact of one child’s fight.

In a remote B.C. town forever altered and a province reflecting on violence and healing, Maya Gebala’s small responses—eyes fluttering to a mother’s song—stand as fragile beacons of hope amid profound loss.