Annunciation shooting survivor Sophia Forchas released from hospital after ‘miraculous recovery’
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) – The girl who was left critically hurt after being shot in the head when a gunman opened fire into Annunciation Church was released from the hospital on Thursday, nearly two months after the mass shooting.
Sophia released from hospital
What we know:
A crowd of supporters lined the sidewalk outside Hennepin County Medical Center on Thursday morning as Forchas was released from the hospital. Forchas had been treated at HCMC and most recently was undergoing rehab at Gillette Children’s.
Sophia Forchas out of hospital nearly 2 months after Annunciation shooting
Annunciation student Sophia Forchas was released from Hennepin Healthcare on Thursday, nearly two months after being shot in the head during the mass shooting at Annunciation Church on Aug. 27. Today is her birthday, and she was greeted to cheers and hugs from family, friends and hospital workers. She left in a limousine.
Onlookers held banners reading “Happy Birthday Sophia” and “Sophia Strong.”
Sophia was greeted with hugs, cheers and applause outside the hospital.
In a post on GoFundMe, Sophia’s family said Thursday marked “one of the most extraordinary days of our lives” because Sophia was coming home. The post also thanked Sophia’s medical team and everyone who played a role in her recovery.
“Sophia’s healing journey continues with outpatient therapy and the road to full recovery remains long. Yet, our hearts are filled with indescribable joy as we witness her speech improving daily, her personality shining through once more, and her ability to walk, swim, and even dribble a basketball. Each step she takes is a living testament to the boundless grace of God and the miraculous power of prayer,” the GoFundMe post on Thursday said.
‘Miraculous recovery’
The backstory:
Family have said that Forchas’ recovery has been nothing short of a miracle since she was shot on Aug. 27. Forchas, then 12, was struck in the head by a rifle round and left in critical condition.
The family said doctors told them Sophia was on the brink of death when she came to the hospital. After the shooting, she needed extensive surgery, including having part of her skull removed to release pressure from swelling, and was placed in a medically-induced coma.
The family thanked supporters in the weeks that followed, telling them “their prayers were working.”
On Thursday, she was able to walk around and talk with her supporters before heading back to school.
A GoFundMe for Sophia and her family has raised more than $1.1 million.
Annunciation shooting
Big picture view:
The horrific shooting at Annunciation left two students dead and 30 people hurt, including students and staff.
In recent weeks, Annunciation School has slowly returned to normal classes while the city has rallied around the school and the students. At the same time, local officials and Annunciation parents have pushed state lawmakers to take action on gun laws to prevent a future tragedy.
The Source: This story used information gathered by a FOX 9 photojournalist at the celebration of Sophia’s discharge and previous FOX 9 reporting.
Annunciation Church and School shootingMinneapolisMass ShootingsCrime and Public Safety
