The last hospitalized victim of the mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church on Aug. 27 is out of critical condition.
A Hennepin Healthcare spokesperson said 12-year-old Sophia Forchas is in “serious” condition as of Wednesday evening, which is an improvement.
The hospital cannot provide more detail besides a one-word condition update due to state statutes and federal law, but shared a definition for “serious” condition which includes “chance for improved prognosis.”
For two weeks, Sophia remained in critical condition after being shot in the head.
Hennepin Healthcare’s chief neurosurgeon on Friday said a bullet injured critical blood vessels and Sophia was placed in a medically induced coma. Part of her skull was removed to accommodate brain swelling.
“We're starting to get out of that worrisome window, but we're not out of it yet,” Dr. Walt Galicich had said at a press conference Friday.
Sophia Forchas’s family made their first public statement at the press conference on Friday. Afterwards, her parents Tom and Amy Forchas shared an update on a verified GoFundMe.
“She has a long road of recovery ahead of her. As we are close to getting over this first hurdle we will post further updates when we know more information on her recovery in the long term. As it stands right now we will get test results to tell us what areas of the brain are affected, when and if we can wake her up, and how long this process is projected to be,” they wrote.
Sophia’s parents expressed their gratitude towards medical staff, those who helped Sophia the day of the shooting, and people worldwide offering prayers for her recovery.
The GoFundMe has raised over $1 million for Sophia and her family since the shooting.
