The small town of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, remains enveloped in a heavy, suffocating silence after the tragic events of Tuesday, February 10, 2026. What began as a routine morning at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School turned into a scene of unimaginable violence, marking the fourth deadliest school shooting in Canadian history. Among the nine people killed and twenty-seven injured is twelve-year-old Maya, a lively student whose fight for survival has become a symbol of national grief and resilience.
Maya is currently in critical condition at a specialized unit of Vancouver Children’s Hospital. She was airlifted from the remote northern interior to the coast after suffering severe gunshot wounds to her head and neck. Her mother, Cia Edmonds, has emerged as a voice for the harrowing reality facing families of survivors, giving updates from a hospital bedside no parent should ever occupy.
“I’m writing this from Vancouver Children’s Hospital while my daughter fights for her life,” Edmonds shared in a moving social media post that has since gone viral. She described the sudden shift from an ordinary Tuesday morning to the terrifying world of neurosurgery and life support. Despite the horror, Edmonds acknowledged with tragic perspective that while Maya is battling for her life, she is “lucky” compared to the families now preparing funerals for the nine victims who did not survive.
Maya faces enormous medical challenges. Her cousin, Krysta Hunt, provided details of her condition in a recent statement, noting that the surgical team’s main focus was controlling a life-threatening brain hemorrhage. Surgeons spent hours repairing the damage and reducing pressure on her brain, and the family is now in a period of “watchful waiting” to see how her neurological system responds. Complications from a second gunshot wound to her neck remain, as doctors assess whether the bullet can be safely removed or if it has caused further injury to her spine or vascular system.
Maya’s survival during the first seventy-two hours is being described as a minor miracle by her family. “She wasn’t sure she would make it through the night,” Hunt said, referencing the grim prognosis when Maya arrived in Vancouver. “The fact that she has made this much progress already speaks to her determination. She’s a fighter.”
While Maya fights in the ICU, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) have begun reconstructing the shooter’s movements. Authorities identified eighteen-year-old Jesse van Rootselaar as the gunman. Evidence suggests a premeditated, multi-stage attack that began at his family home, where he allegedly killed his mother and stepbrother before driving to the school. The rampage ended when van Rootselaar was found dead at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot. Investigators are reviewing his digital history and personal background to understand why he committed such a horrific act, though for families waiting in hospital corridors, motives are secondary to the recovery of their children.
The tragedy has prompted widespread community support. A GoFundMe campaign created to help the Edmonds family with medical bills, travel, and long-term rehabilitation has already exceeded $255,000. For Maya, recovery will take years, not weeks. Traumatic brain injuries of this severity demand extensive specialized care, and the funds provide a vital lifeline for a family whose life was upended in seconds.
Beyond the hospital, the Tumbler Ridge shooting has reignited national debate about school safety and the effectiveness of Canada’s firearm laws. In a country often considered safer than its southern neighbor, a fourth mass shooting of this scale has shaken the national consciousness. Mental health advocates have highlighted the shooter’s history, urging proactive interventions for at-risk youth.
Yet in Vancouver, politics and statistics fade into the background. The world narrows to a sterile hospital room, the hum of ventilators, and the steady beeps of monitors. Focus rests entirely on a twelve-year-old girl who, days ago, worried about homework and friends, and now embodies a community’s collective hope.
Vigils have been held across British Columbia, with candles lighting the cold mountain air of Tumbler Ridge and the rainy streets of Vancouver. In a town of fewer than 3,000 residents, nearly everyone has connections to the students or staff at the school. In this darkness, Maya’s resilience and her mother’s strength have become a beacon for the community.
As the investigation continues, more details will emerge about the circumstances that allowed Jesse van Rootselaar to carry out his attack. For now, the Edmonds family asks only for continued prayers and support for a little girl refusing to give up. Maya’s story is far from over; as she continues to fight in the ICU, she represents the fragile, persistent hope of life in the aftermath of the unthinkable.