Lydia Kaiser released from hospital
What we know:
A spokesperson with Children’s Minnesota confirmed with FOX 9 Saturday that 12-year-old Lydia has been discharged from the hospital.
Lydia was one of the 21 injured in the shooting at Annunciation School and Church on Aug. 27.
In an update on Lydia’s GoFundMe, the organizer says Lydia will have to have another surgery in the near future to replace the piece of skull that was removed to let her brain swell.
Here is the full update:
“After a long hard week+, there are so many good things to report in Lydia’s recovery. She is walking, she is talking, she is fighting and she is ever so brave. She has another surgery coming up in the near future. This will be to replace the section of her skull that was removed to allow for swelling of her brain. She will face this surgery with grace, bravery and unbelievable strength.
“The outpouring of love, prayers and support is nothing short of incredible. Please share this page and keep the prayers coming for Lydia and for Sophia, for the Merkel family, the Moyski family and for all of the families touched by this violence.”
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 a GoFundMe organized on her behalf.
Lydia was injured while protecting her friend during the shooting.
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.
Harry even stayed with the children inside the church as his own daughter was entering the emergency room, the GoFundMe states.
Vice President JD Vance visited Lydia in the hospital after the shooting, and Lydia’s parents shared statements afterward:
Leah Kaiser said the following:
“Hello. My name is Leah Kaiser, and I am Lydia Kaiser’s mother.
“I have given a lot of thought about speaking publicly and have decided I have something to say.
“First, I want to say to Jackie, Mike, Jesse and Molly — my heart hurts for you and for your pain of losing your beautiful children, Harper and Fletcher. Harry and I and so many others are with you in your grief.
“I want to thank Father Zehren, Principal DeBoer, and the teachers for protecting our little ones. And the amazing first responders and hospital staff for bringing us to safety and treating our injuries.
“All of us — moms, teachers, you reporters and vice presidents — we all have an obligation to use this moment, as Principal DeBoer said when he quoted an African proverb — ‘When you pray, move your feet.’
“Vice President Vance — you have enormous authority. Please use this moment to move your feet and transcend our political divides to promote peace, and unity and hope. This is what the people of the United States will hold you accountable to. This Annunciation Community is a force of good in the world, and we invite you to be the same.
“On the sidewalk in front of the boarded-up windows of the church, someone wrote the prayer of St. Francis, which says:
“Make me an instrument of your peace.
“Where there is hatred, let me bring love
“Where there is injury, pardon
“Where there is despair, hope
“Where there is darkness, light
“And where there is sadness, only Joy.
“That’s it. That’s all I wanted to say.”
Harry Kaiser shared this statement:
“Everybody’s telling me that we still need to be praying for one of my seventh grade students, Sophia, so the family is asking for us to storm heaven with prayers. My name is Harry Kaiser. I’m the gym teacher at Annunciation and the father of Lydia, who’s still upstairs. I teach all the students at Annunciation and the Vice President asked to come and talk to us today. Before he left, I asked him if he would let me read a note. So I would like to read that.
“‘Mr. Vice President, thank you for coming to see Lydia. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity for my kids to meet a vice president. And for the sake of Harper Moiske, and Fletcher Merkle, and Lydia, and Sophia, and all my students, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity of having your ear for a moment. We disagree about so many things. We both know both sides, and all the talking points we fall back on.
“‘But on just this one issue of gun violence, will you please promise me as a father and a Catholic, that you will earnestly support the study of what is wrong with our culture, that we are the country that has the worst mass shooter problem? We were at mass. Singing about being called to act with justice, love, service, and humility. Will you please promise to pursue, despite powerful lobbies, some common sense, bipartisan legislation as a starting point, so we can come out of our corners and find the values that we share so that this time, some progress is made. Thoughts and prayers haven’t been enough. Many policies have been dismissed without even being studied or tried. It’s so complicated. I don’t claim to have the answers, but we have to commit to looking. Then we can feel good about defending life. If one thing changes for the better, perhaps Fletcher’s and Harper’s deaths and all the injuries and destruction. Might bring about even more unity, love, and light than I have already seen this past week. One law, one executive order, one policy. You can call it the Annunciation Bill. Then I’ll be able to look Lydia and Sophia and all my students in the eye and say I tried. Sincerely, Harry Kaiser.’
“I just wanted to make my family proud and my church proud and the Fletcher’s family and Harper’s family proud of what I said and everybody at Annunciation, thank you.”