Minneapolis, October 24, 2025
Photo: fox9.com
Sophia Forchas, a 12-year-old parishioner of St. Mary’s Greek Orthodox Church in Minneapolis, was released from Gillette Children’s Hospital yesterday, Oct. 23, after a miraculous recovery following the August shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church.
Sophia, who was shot in the head during the attack, had a bullet lodged in her brain, requiring the removal of the left half of her skull to relieve pressure. She is the last survivor of the incident to be released from the hospital, which left two students dead and 30 others injured.
Sophia, sporting a backwards hat and a smile, was greeted with a police escort and a crowd of supporters holding signs that read, “Sophia Strong.” Many offered hugs and words of encouragement as she made her way out of the hospital. Her procession was joined by paramedics from Hennepin County Medical Center, who had supported her during her recovery, reports the Union of Orthodox Journalists with reference to Fox9 KMSP.
Her surgeon, Dr. Walt Galicich, who had earlier expressed doubts about her survival, was one of the emotional figures congratulating Sophia upon her release. Just last month, Dr. Galicich had warned that she might not survive, saying, “If you had told me at this juncture, 10 days later, that we’d be standing here with any ray of hope, I would have said it would take a miracle.”
Sophia’s parents, Amy and Tom, have consistently asked for prayers throughout their daughter’s recovery. In an update, they said, “The prayers are working.”
Watch video of Sophia meeting her supporters:
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