Annunciation mass shooting: Lydia Kaiser returns to school after attack
Annunciation holds 2nd blood drive since shooting
Annunciation Catholic Church and school held a blood drive Monday afternoon - the second rally from a community still dealing with the aftermath of a deadly attack.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - One of the child victims in the Annunciation Church and School mass shooting, 12-year-old Lydia Kaiser, has returned to school, according to a recent update.
Lydia Kaiser returns to school
‘Filled up with love’:
Lydia was one of the 21 victims injured in the Annunciation school shooting, and underwent surgery to have a piece of her skull removed to let her brain swell and heal.
On her road to recovery, her family offered an update in mid-September saying she had begun sharing "small moments of normalcy" that included being released and having meals at home again.
A most recent post on Sept. 30 details her return to the school where the attack occurred.
"Lydia's first few days back at school have been filled up with love and lifting. She was so happy to be with her friends and teachers and get back to learning and healing," the update reads. "She will need ongoing care for the foreseeable future, but she remains a brave little fighter and she is feeling stronger every day. She has to take a break from her favorite sports, volleyball and basketball, and that is hard for her, but she will be cheering her teammates on all the way… The shooting on August 27th was horrific. It caused so much hurt in such a short amount of time. But Lydia and the students, staff and families of Annunciation are committed to shining bright."
Lydia's journey
The backstory:
The Annunciation Church mass shooting left Lydia in "very serious condition" after she went through "an unimaginable surgery" for her injuries, according to her GoFundMe campaign.
The GoFundMe adds that Lydia's father, Harry, is a gym teacher at the school and stayed with the children in the church until they were reunited with their families. Meanwhile, Lydia was injured while protecting her friend during the shooting.
The Uvalde Foundation for Kids, a nonprofit formed in response to the 2022 shooting at Robb Elementary School in Texas, previously announced it would be awarding Lydia its National Student Heroism Award, which also includes a scholarship.
"The actions of this young lady were nothing short of heroic. There is no question that her selflessness and dedication to her friends and peers, manifested that day into her brave action to risk her own life to protect another student from gunfire... Lydia faced the danger in a display of heroism that will not be forgotten," said Daniel Chapin, the founder of the nonprofit, in a provided statement.