'Nothing Short of a Miracle' - Minneapolis Church Shooting Survivor Returns Home to Celebration
Minneapolis, Minnesota — Twelve-year-old Sophia Forchas returned home on October 23, 2025, after spending 57 days in the hospital recovering from a devastating gunshot wound to the head sustained during the August 27 attack at Annunciation Catholic Church in Minneapolis.
Sophia was the most seriously wounded child among survivors of the shooting at the Church of the Annunciation. On August 27, 23-year-old Robin Westman opened fire with a rifle through the church windows, striking nearly 200 children who were celebrating Mass during the first week of school.
The attack killed two children: 8-year-old Fletcher Merkel and 10-year-old Harper Moyoski, and wounded 30 others.
Westman died at the scene from self-inflicted wounds. Investigators stated he was "obsessed with the idea of killing children."
During the attack, a bullet lodged in Sophia's brain, causing severe damage including injury to a major blood vessel.
She was rushed into emergency surgery where neurosurgeon Dr. Walt Galicich and his team had to remove the left half of her skull to relieve the pressure from brain swelling. She was placed in a medically induced coma, and doctors initially feared she would not survive.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara described Sophia's homecoming as "nothing short of a miracle." On Thursday, she was greeted by dozens of cheering residents as a white limousine led by a police motorcade carried her through the streets of Minneapolis.
Before heading home, Sophia visited Hennepin County Medical Center to thank the first responders and medical staff who saved her life. Hospital staff greeted her with hugs and held up a blue sign reading "Sophia Strong." She then stopped by Annunciation School to reunite with her friends, who welcomed her with applause and embraces.
Her parents, Tom and Amy Forchas, stated: "Today marks one of the most extraordinary days of our lives! Our beloved daughter, Sophia, is coming home! We are overwhelmed with gratitude for the remarkable medical professionals whose skill, compassion, and unwavering dedication brought us to this moment."
The Forchases emphasized the crucial role of prayer in their daughter's healing: "Those prayers came from family, friends, and countless souls around the world; many of whom have never met Sophia, yet lifted her spirit with unconditional love. Your prayers have been a wellspring of comfort, hope, and healing for our entire family. We are certain that God heard every single one."
Sophia's healing journey will continue with outpatient therapy, and she still faces at least one more major surgery. Her parents noted they have been witnessing daily improvements in her speech, her ability to walk, and "her personality shining through once more."
Another shooting victim, 12-year-old Lydia Kaiser, returned to school last week after also suffering a traumatic brain injury. A bullet fragment lodged in her head while she was protecting a younger student during the attack.
Archbishop Bernard Hebda of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis stated: "It was very moving that she was able to join us last evening for the daily 9:00 rosary outside of the Church. She and her father thanked the community for the many prayers that they have received throughout the time that Sophia had been in the hospital and at the rehabilitation center."
Sophia's homecoming occurred just days before her 13th birthday.
THE CRUSADER'S OPINION
A bullet to the brain. Half her skull removed. Doctors preparing her parents for death. And 57 days later, Sophia Forchas walks out of that hospital alive.
Call it what it is: a miracle. Modern medicine performed brilliantly, but medicine doesn't explain a 12-year-old girl defying every medical prediction. Prayer does. God does. Thousands of believers worldwide lifted this child to the throne of grace, and God answered. Let the skeptics explain that away.
This story matters because it reveals what the world desperately needs to see: faith works. Not the tepid, Sunday-morning-only faith that crumbles under pressure, but the bold, persistent, believing prayer that storms heaven's gates and refuses to let go until God moves. Sophia's parents believed. The Annunciation community believed. Christians around the world believed. And God responded.
But let's not forget the horror that put her there. Robin Westman, a disturbed individual "obsessed with killing children," opened fire on nearly 200 kids celebrating Mass during the first week of school. Two children died. Thirty others were wounded. The shooter specifically targeted a Catholic school at worship, and the evil of that act demands acknowledgment.
Fletcher Merkel was 8. Harper Moyoski was 10. They died because a killer decided children at prayer made acceptable targets. Their families live with that agony while the world moves on. Sophia's miracle doesn't erase their loss, but it testifies that even in humanity's darkest moments, God's light breaks through.
Twelve-year-old Lydia Kaiser also survived, shielding a younger student while a bullet fragment lodged in her head. These children displayed more courage in minutes than most adults show in a lifetime. They represent the church's future, if the church has the guts to raise them right: fearless, faithful, and unbroken by evil.
The Minneapolis community lined the streets cheering for Sophia. The police chief escorted her in a limousine. Her school erupted in celebration. This is what Christian community looks like when it actually functions: believers rejoicing with those who rejoice, bearing one another's burdens, and refusing to let tragedy have the final word.
Sophia's parents got it right: "We are certain that God heard every single one" of the prayers. That confidence in God's faithfulness needs to be the church's foundation, not its exception.
TAKE ACTION
Support the Forchas Family
GoFundMe: Search "Sophia Forchas" to find the family's fundraising page for ongoing medical expenses and rehabilitation costs
Support the Kaiser Family
GoFundMe: Search "Lydia Kaiser Annunciation" to support another young survivor's recovery and medical needs
Annunciation Catholic Church and School
Website: https://annunciationmpls.org
Support the church community as they continue healing and provide ongoing support to affected families
Pray Daily
Join the Annunciation community's daily 9:00 PM rosary for continued healing of all victims and families affected by the August 27 attack
