In a case doctors are calling nearly miraculous, a 12-year-old girl critically injured in a mass shooting at a Minneapolis church is showing unexpected signs of recovery.

Daily Mail reported that Sophia Forchas, who was shot in the head during an attack that killed two children and injured 21 others, has been upgraded from critical to serious condition as of Thursday, after spending over two weeks in intensive care.

The shooting unfolded last month at Annunciation Catholic School’s church during the first Mass of the school year. Children and families had gathered in the pews for what was supposed to be a peaceful morning service. That calm was shattered when 23-year-old Robin Westman opened fire through the stained-glass windows.

Deadly Attack Leaves City Reeling

Westman, a transgender woman who previously went by the name Robert, was armed with a rifle, a shotgun, and a pistol during the attack. The barrage of gunfire claimed the lives of 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel and 10-year-old Harper Moyski: twenty-one other individuals, many of them children, sustained injuries in the chaos that followed.

Emergency responders quickly arrived at the scene. A dispatcher reported one suspect with a gunshot wound to the head and two firearms at her side. Authorities confirmed that Westman died by suicide following the attack.

Among the wounded was Sophia Forchas, who suffered a bullet wound to her temporal lobe. This region of the brain is responsible for sensory processing, memory, and understanding language—areas that could be permanently affected by such an injury.

Medical Battle in the ICU

Following the shooting, Sophia was rushed to Hennepin Healthcare Trauma Center, where she spent 15 days in the intensive care unit. As recently as last week, she remained largely unresponsive, held in a medically induced coma to manage intracranial pressure.

According to Sophia’s neurosurgeon, Dr. Walt Galicich, her condition had been dire. “I’m going to be blunt,” he said in a press briefing. “There’s a chance that she’s maybe the third fatality of this event.”

Despite the lack of immediate improvement, medical staff proceeded with critical interventions, including a hemicraniectomy. This procedure involved removing the left side of her skull to ease brain swelling, though the bullet itself was left in place, as removing it would not offer medical benefit.

Signs of Life and a Glimmer of Progress

This week brought a shift in Sophia’s trajectory. She began opening her eyes, appearing to recognize her surroundings, and moved her right leg. However, doctors say she has not yet reacted to spoken commands.

In a dramatic change, healthcare providers reclassified her condition from critical to serious. Though still acutely ill, the new classification indicates some improvement and the possibility of a more favorable outcome.

“The door has been opened a little bit and there’s some rays of hope shining through,” Dr. Galicich said. He added, “If you had told me 10 days ago that we’d be here with any ray of hope, I would have said it would take a miracle.”

Community Mourning and Global Support

As Sophia's condition stabilizes, the families of the two murdered children continue to mourn. More than 1,000 people attended a memorial service for Fletcher Merkel on Sunday. A similar tribute for Harper Moyski is being planned.

Tom Forchas, Sophia’s father, has remained outspoken about the horror of the event. “To carry out such an atrocity against innocent children, children who were praying during Mass, is unfathomable,” he said.

He revealed that Sophia’s 9-year-old brother was also present in the church but was not physically harmed. Their mother, Amy Forchas, a pediatric nurse, has not left Sophia’s side during her hospitalization.

Prayers for Recovery Stretch Around the Globe

The Forchas family has received messages of hope from all over the world. According to Tom, support has come from cities as far apart as Oslo, Johannesburg, Sydney, Santiago, and even Mount Athos, Greece.

“We’ve heard of prayers from Oslo to Johannesburg, from Sydney to Santiago, from Vietnam to Canada,” Tom shared. He expressed overwhelming gratitude, concluding, “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

Doctors say Sophia’s road to recovery will be measured one day at a time. Her prognosis remains uncertain, but those caring for her now dare to hope where once there was only fear and grief.