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Maya Gebala went to school on Tuesday in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., expecting it to be another day of learning and being with her friends.
But the 12-year-old is now fighting for her life in BC Children’s Hospital in Vancouver after being injured in the mass shooting that killed five students and one teacher at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School.
“She is in extreme critical condition,” Krysta Hunt, Gelabala’s aunt told Global News.
“She had surgery yesterday to try and repair the brain bleed and they’re waiting to see how she responds to that.”
Hunt said her niece has a lot of swelling and her prognosis remains unknown at this time.
“They’re trying to push the family, all of us, to make a decision, but right now we’re not ready for that,” she added.
Hunt said the doctors were not sure Gelaba would make it through the night, but she did and they want to see how she fares the next couple of days.
“She has a bullet in her head, above her left eye and she has a bullet in her neck,” she said. “They are not sure if the bullet in her neck went all the way through or not, or if it’s still internal, but they’re leaving it for now to focus on her head.”
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Hunt said Gelaba is a beautiful girl who is outgoing and loves life.
“You don’t think something like this is going to affect your family, it’s insane.”
She said her niece loves playing hockey and sports and she’s strong and feisty.
Hunt said Gelaba’s mom is struggling, but they have launched a GoFundMe to help with expenses and costs so she can be by her daughter’s bedside.
Maya and her mother in BC Children’s Hospital.
Facebook / Cia Later
She commends Gelaba’s friends who, after she was shot, saw her finger move and carried her out of the school to get help.
“(Maya) tried to lock the door of the library from the shooter to save the other kids and then she tried to lock it and then ran and hid under a table and (got shot),” Hunt said.
They are not giving up hope that she will pull through.
“She’s a feisty little girl who is brave and strong,” Hunt said.
One of the victims in the deadly shooting has been identified as Abel Mwansa Jr.
Mwansa was one of five students killed at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School on Tuesday.
A female teacher was also killed.
In addition, the mother and stepbrother of the shooter were killed at their home before the shooting at the school.
The shooter, identified as 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootsleaar, died from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, RCMP said on Wednesday.
© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
