On February 10, 2026, 12-year-old Maya Gębala was inside the library at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia when a gunman entered and began firing.

As students tried to reach safety, Maya and several classmates attempted to secure the library door. But the lock was reportedly not working properly. According to her family, Maya stayed behind for a few critical moments, trying to protect the others before eventually making her way to safety.

Maya was seriously injured during the attack and was airlifted to BC Children’s Hospital, where she underwent several surgeries and spent weeks in critical condition.

Her condition was so serious that doctors at one point discussed the possibility of end-of-life care with her family. Then came an unexpected change.

Maya began showing signs of improvement.

She eventually left intensive care and started the difficult process of rehabilitation and recovery.

For her family, one part of the story has remained especially powerful: Maya was thinking about the safety of other students during an incredibly frightening moment.

She was only 12 years old.

Yet according to those closest to her, when faced with a terrifying situation, her instinct was to help protect the people around her.

Maya’s recovery is still a long journey, but her progress has given her family and supporters something precious to hold onto: hope.

Her story is not only about what happened inside a school library that day. It is also about resilience, courage and the strength of a young person who continued fighting forward after an unimaginable experience.

Global News – Maya Gebala could have undergone her last surgery