Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara, who escorted Forchas around the city, described her return home as “nothing short of a miracle.”
She was again greeted with roaring applause and plenty of hugs as they pulled into her school’s parking lot.
Her parents, Amy and Tom Forchas, said in a statement that they were overwhelmed with gratitude for the medical professionals who saved their daughter’s life. They described her return home Thursday as “one of the most extraordinary days of our lives.”
Her healing journey will continue with outpatient therapy, and she still has a long road to recovery ahead, her parents said, adding that they’ve been excited to witness daily improvements in her speech, her ability to walk and “her personality shining through once more.”
Another child who had a traumatic brain injury from the shooting, Lydia Kaiser, 12, was similarly celebrated as she returned to school last week, according to an online fundraising page started to support her family. Kaiser also underwent surgeries to remove a bullet fragment and alleviate pressure inside her head.
