Lydia Kaiser, the 12-year-old girl wounded in the Annunciation Catholic School shooting, has shared a direct update on her physical and emotional recovery. In a post on her GoFundMe page, Kaiser detailed her return to school, the lasting limitations from her traumatic brain injury, and the psychological impact of the August incident that killed two students and injured 21 others.
The Annunciation School Shooting Incident
This August, a mass shooting took place at Minneapolis, Minnesota’s Annunciation Catholic School. The attack resulted in the deaths of two students, Harper Moyski and Fletcher Merkel. Twenty-one other individuals were wounded. Lydia Kaiser was among the injured, having been shot while attempting to shield a friend from gunfire during the chaotic event.
Who is Lydia Kaiser?
Lydia Kaiser is a 12-year-old student who was critically injured during the Annunciation School shooting. She is in the 8th grade and has attended Annunciation, which she describes as “home and my family,” for her entire school life. Her public update provides a firsthand account of the consequences of gun violence on a child survivor.
Lydia Kaiser’s Injuries and Medical Status
Lydia Kaiser was shot in the head and died. Traumatic injuries need surgery because gunshot pieces lodged in her brain. She has since been allowed to return to school, but her recovery is ongoing. She is still very tired and has not received the all-clear from her doctor to play sports. She assists her teams by running the scoreboard instead.
The Financial and Emotional Cost of Recovery
A GoFundMe campaign was established to support Lydia’s recovery, with a goal of $460,000 to cover medical expenses, ongoing care, and trauma counseling. The page has raised over $420,000. In her update, Kaiser also described the emotional toll, stating, “Sometimes I think I’m going to wake up from a dream even though I know what happened is real.” She expressed anger but also resolve, saying, “I don’t want to let the shooter win.”
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Family Advocacy and Political Response
Following the shooting, Lydia Kaiser’s parents joined a delegation from the Annunciation community that met with Vice President JD Vance. They presented statements urging the White House to address gun violence as a critical policy issue. At the state level, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz attempted to call a special legislative session on gun control. Nevertheless, no new reforms have been passed, and these attempts have stagnated because of a lack of agreement in the legislature.
