Maya Gebala shows response, faces emergency surgery

Maya Gebala showed hopeful signs of recovery on Saturday, opening her eyes and responding, according to a social media video from her mother. However, she was later rushed into emergency surgery late Saturday night due to swelling in the brain. (Screenshot: Cia Edmonds/Facebook)

It was a day of emotional highs and heartbreaking uncertainty for the family of 12-year-old Maya Gebala, who has been in a coma since the February 10 school shooting in Tumbler Ridge.

On Saturday, Maya’s mother, Cia Edmonds, shared hopeful news in a video posted to social media, saying her daughter had opened her eyes for the first time since the shooting and was responding.

By late that same night, the family was facing another medical emergency.

A hopeful milestone

In the Saturday video, Edmonds described what she called a significant step forward in Maya’s recovery.

“Her eyes opened… her eyes opened and she’s responding, and moving around, and she is moving her hands, but her eyes opened,” she said.

Since the day after the tragedy, Edmonds has been sharing updates and prayer requests from the hospital, drawing tens of thousands of followers who have been supporting the family online.

The news that Maya had opened her eyes was met with an outpouring of encouragement and prayer.

A sudden setback and emergency surgery

Maya’s father, David, shared the above picture with an update following emergency surgery on Sunday morning. (Facebook)
Late Saturday night, however, Edmonds’s cousin, Krysta Hunt, posted an urgent update to the family’s GoFundMe page, quoting Maya’s mother.

“This update shows just how critical Maya is with her injury,” Hunt wrote.

“Not again. Maya is going to emergency surgery right now due to severe fluid build-up on the brain caused by hydrocephalus. Please keep her in your thoughts. I believe it’s helped her this far.”

Hydrocephalus is a condition in which excess fluid builds up in the brain and can become life-threatening without immediate treatment.

Early Sunday morning, Maya’s father, David Gebala, shared another update on social media, saying the emergency surgery was successful.

“Our brave little warrior has come through her emergency surgery,” he wrote.

“After what felt like the longest hour of our lives, the surgeon came to tell us it was successful. They’ve placed a drain on her right side, and she’s holding on strong, just another hurdle she’s facing with so much strength. We love you endlessly.”