A 12-year-old girl who was shot in the head during a deadly attack at a Minneapolis Catholic church in August has been released from the hospital, marking what her parents called “one of the most extraordinary days of our lives.”
Sophia Forchas was the most critically injured of the surviving children from the shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church on August 27. The attacker opened fire through the church windows during morning Mass, when children were marking the first week of school. The tragic assault claimed the lives of an 8-year-old and a 10-year-old, and left 21 others wounded — 18 of them children.
In a statement on Thursday, October 23, Sophia’s parents, Amy and Thomas Forchas, expressed deep gratitude to those who cared for their daughter throughout her recovery.
“To every individual who played a role in Sophia’s healing and recovery: We thank you from the depths of our hearts,” they said. “We will never forget the world-class care that sustained her and the commitment of the medical staff that carried us through.”
They shared that Sophia’s recovery journey continues through outpatient therapy, emphasizing both their optimism and caution as she heals.
“Sophia’s healing journey continues with outpatient therapy and the road to full recovery remains long,” they added. “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.”
The family also extended compassion toward others affected by the tragedy.
“Even in the midst of this profound joy, our hearts remain tender,” they said. “We continue to pray for those whose lives were tragically lost on that heartbreaking day. May their memory be eternal. We also hold close those who were injured and bear lasting scars, and the families and loved ones forever changed.”
Following her release from Gillette Children’s Hospital, The Catholic Spirit shared a video on Facebook of Sophia’s emotional return visit to the hospital where she was first rushed after the shooting. Staff lined the halls holding banners that read “Sophia Strong” and birthday messages ahead of her 13th birthday. She was escorted home in a limousine, accompanied by a police motorcade led by Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara.
Sophia’s mother, Amy — a pediatric critical care nurse — had been working in the hospital’s intensive care unit when Sophia was brought in, unaware that her own daughter was among the critically wounded victims.
Sophia’s neurosurgeon at Hennepin Healthcare, Dr. Walt Galicich, revealed in September that the bullet entered her left temporal lobe and lodged in her right occipital lobe. At a September 5 news conference, he expressed grave concern, noting that Sophia could have become “the third fatality.” Surgeons had to remove one side of her skull to reduce swelling in her brain.
Sophia and her younger brother both attended Annunciation Catholic School. Her brother was inside the building during the shooting but escaped physical injury, their parents said.
A GoFundMe campaign launched to support Sophia’s recovery has raised more than $1 million.
