Hopeful Updates Emerge for Tumbler Ridge Shooting Survivor
Maya Gebala, a 12-year-old who survived a tragic shooting in Tumbler Ridge, has shown significant improvement, allowing her to leave B.C. Children’s Hospital for a special outing. Over the weekend, Maya visited the Bloedel Conservatory, a botanical garden in Vancouver, marking a significant step in her recovery.
Her father, David Gebala, shared the positive news on social media, accompanying the update with photos of Maya at the conservatory. “This is the farthest we’ve been from the hospital with Maya in quite some time. It feels really good to step away, even if it’s just for a little while,” he wrote in a post on Saturday.
Maya’s mother, Cia Edmonds, echoed the sentiment, sharing a video of the outing and stating, “Now that we can leave hospital grounds, she gets to experience life again.” These updates follow a series of social media posts from Maya’s parents detailing her ongoing recovery, with recent posts highlighting her increasing responsiveness and mobility.
Signs of Progress and Encouraging Developments
Earlier this week, David Gebala posted pictures of Maya smiling while seated in her wheelchair outdoors. “Look who gets to leave the hospital grounds! Many more walks to come with this amazing weather,” he captioned the images, expressing optimism about future outings.
Further demonstrating her progress, a video shared on Sunday showed Maya actively pushing an elevator button within the hospital. Her father described the mornings with Maya as his favorite, noting, “She’s wide awake, bright-eyed, and so wonderfully responsive. I’m still in awe of how much she’s improved over the past few months especially just this week alone. I love you so much, my sweet baby girl.”
The family also shared a video of what they described as “one of our first intentional smiles.” In addition to these milestones, an update was provided regarding Maya’s left eye. Doctors diagnosed a left cranial nerve palsy, specifically affecting the third cranial nerve, which impacts the eye’s ability to move inward and upward. However, medical professionals are optimistic that this condition will not be completely debilitating, suggesting it may result in the eye being slightly less active than the other. Crucially, there is communication between both eyes, and doctors are hopeful she will regain vision in her left eye.
Background of the Incident and Family’s Challenges
Maya Gebala has been receiving treatment at B.C. Children’s Hospital following the mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge. The incident, perpetrated by 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, resulted in the deaths of six people at a school and two others in a nearby home.
These recent positive updates come after the family faced significant challenges in securing suitable housing in Canada. In a message on a GoFundMe page, Maya’s mother, Cia Edmonds, explained the difficulties, stating it has been “nearly impossible to acquire housing” given Maya’s likely need for a wheelchair. She also noted the family does not qualify for certain benefits available to traumatized families, leaving them to cover expenses through donations. At one point, the family was reportedly living between their car and a couch at the hospital.
Edmonds later clarified that while her belongings were stored in the car, she chose to sleep on a couch in Maya’s room to remain close to her daughter, rather than incur Airbnb costs. She emphasized a desire to find a long-term home with a more peaceful environment, away from triggers like sirens, and one that accommodates Maya’s needs as a wheelchair user.
Previously, the family had accepted an offer from Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White to cover Maya’s treatment and accommodation in Los Angeles. However, the relocation was not possible as Maya was deemed “too fragile” to travel at the time.
