12-Year-Old Girl, Who Was Injured Protecting Another Child During Minn. Catholic Church Shooting, Speaks Out: I'm 'Angry'

Lydia Kaiser, a 12-year-old woman who was among nan twelve positive group injured successful nan Minneapolis Catholic Church shooting that killed 2 others, is speaking out.

Nearly 2 months aft nan Aug. 27 tragedy, Lydia expressed her gratitude for nan continued outpouring of support successful an Oct. 16 update connected a GoFundMe page group up to assistance her recovery.

"I’m doing ok,” nan kid wrote. “I’ve been allowed to return to schoolhouse which is awesome because I missed my friends and it was difficult to miss retired connected truthful much.” 

Still, Lydia — who was injured while protecting a younger student during a wide astatine Annunciation Catholic Church, and later transported to nan infirmary successful “very superior condition” — said she continues to header pinch nan lasting effects of nan day.

“I still can’t play sports, but I’ve been cheering connected my friends and moving nan scoreboard,” she explained. “I get tired much than accustomed but I’m not really getting headaches for illustration I utilized to.”

Lydia’s family shared updated photos of her connected nan GoFundMe page. In nan snapshots, nan 12-year-old could beryllium seen sporting short hairsbreadth connected nan near broadside of her head, wherever she was injured successful nan shooting and infirmary unit later performed surgery. 

“My hairsbreadth is starting to turn backmost and it looks fuzzy wherever they shaved it disconnected for my surgery,” she wrote. “I dream it grows backmost earlier I commencement precocious school. I don’t deliberation it will turn that accelerated though.”

Elsewhere successful her update, nan eighth grader acknowledged nan deaths of Fletcher Merkel, 8, and Harper Moyski, 10, who were killed successful nan onslaught that was carried retired by Robin Westman, 23. (Westman died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.)

“I’m truthful sad for Harper’s sister and Fletcher’s siblings,” Lydia said. “Sometimes I deliberation I’m going to aftermath up from a dream moreover though I cognize what happened is real. It’s truthful difficult to judge I really sewage shot, and different kids did too.” 

“It makes maine angry, but I don’t want to fto nan shooter win,” she added.

The preteen besides said this schoolhouse twelvemonth will beryllium her “last” astatine Annunciation. She described it arsenic a spot that is “like my location and my family," and she plans "to do everything I tin to bask my 8th people year.”

“Thank you truthful overmuch for your prayers and for each your emotion and support,” she concluded her connection connected nan GoFundMe, which has raised complete $423,000 truthful far. 

Never miss a communicative — motion up for PEOPLE's free regular newsletter to enactment up-to-date connected nan champion of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from personage news to compelling quality liking stories.

Lydia was 1 of nan students that Rep. Ilhan Omar, who represents Minnesota’s 5th Congressional District, initially highlighted successful a statement on X aft nan attack.

She said Lydia, whose begetter is simply a gym coach astatine nan school, was successful nan intensive attraction portion pursuing nan shooting and was headed "in nan correct direction."

A full of 18 group — including 15 children — were injured successful nan attack.