Tumbler Ridge shooting survivor Maya Gebala released from hospital after 262 days

Explainer

Maya Gebala, a 13-year-old girl severely injured in the Tumbler Ridge mass shooting, is being released from hospital after 262 days of recovery, her father announced. David Gebala shared the news on social media on Thursday, posting a video of his daughter reacting with excitement from her wheelchair. He recounted being told by doctors the night she was airlifted to BC Children's Hospital that they did not think she would survive. "Since then, I’ve watched you fight for every single one of those days," David Gebala wrote.

He called his daughter "the bravest person I know" and an inspiration. "There was never a day I stopped believing we would get here," he wrote. "The road ahead is still long, but this is a milestone no one thought we would reach." The family has been sharing updates through social media posts and videos while not speaking directly to the media. In the video posted Thursday, Maya is seen wearing sunglasses, smiling and gesturing happily as she receives the news of her release.

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What were Maya Gebala's injuries?

Maya Gebala was shot three times in the February mass shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. According to court documents filed by her family in April 2026, a bullet struck her skull and "shattered bone fragments through her brain." She was airlifted to BC Children's Hospital alongside another victim, Paige Hoekstra. Her father's social media post detailed a long series of medical struggles, including several emergency surgeries and infections during her hospital stay. In May, her family said she underwent a fifth surgery for a cranioplasty. This procedure involved installing a prosthetic barrier to address swelling and deflation in her head caused by her damaged skull. David Gebala wrote that this surgery, which took place 179 days ago, was "the one that finally stuck" and that afterward, "things slowly began to feel possible again."

What milestones did she reach during recovery?

David Gebala chronicled numerous small victories over the 262 days. He said it was 251 days ago that Maya opened her eye, moved it and shifted her leg, only to be rushed into emergency surgery again for hydrocephalus. She was extubated and breathed on her own for the first time 238 days ago, and 230 days ago she was able to feel the sun on her face. He said he wrapped his hands around her for the first time since the shooting 213 days ago.

Key moments of progress included her first intentional smile during a thumb war game 145 days ago and her first time being wheeled off hospital grounds 140 days ago. The family celebrated her 13th birthday in September, 40 days ago, by attending a Foo Fighters concert at BC Place. "Look at you, my girl. You blew every expectation out of the water," her father wrote in his post.

What happens next for the Gebala family?

David Gebala concluded his post by stating, "Now it’s time to leave these hospital walls behind and keep moving forward, Maya Bear." He expressed gratitude for the nurses, doctors and therapists who helped them reach this point. In previous social media updates, Maya's mother had indicated the family would likely have to permanently relocate to Vancouver for Maya to continue receiving care, though it is not clear from the latest posts if that is still the plan. The family is also involved in ongoing legal action related to the shooting. They have filed a lawsuit in California against tech firm OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman over their alleged roles in the deadly February mass shooting. OpenAI has asked for the case to be dismissed. The shooting itself, carried out by former student Jesse Van Rootselaar, killed eight people including six children and injured dozens before the shooter died by suicide.

With files from National Post, CBC News and Global News