MINNEAPOLIS — A young survivor of a school shooting that marred the start of the academic year has reached out publicly to express her gratitude for the outpouring of support. In her heartfelt message, she shared her disbelief over the tragedy that unfolded, stating, “It’s hard to grasp that I was actually shot, along with other kids.”

Lydia Kaiser, just 12 years old, was struck by gunfire on August 27 while trying to protect a fellow student. The horrifying incident occurred during a Mass at Annunciation Catholic School, where the shooter claimed the lives of two students, Fletcher Merkel and Harper Moyski.

Through a statement on her GoFundMe page, Lydia conveyed her sorrow for the families of Harper and Fletcher. “I’m devastated for Harper’s sister and Fletcher’s siblings,” she wrote. “Sometimes it feels like a nightmare I’ll wake up from, but I know it’s real. It’s hard to believe I was shot, and others were too. It angers me, but I refuse to let the shooter win.”

In her update, Lydia mentioned that her hair is beginning to regrow in the area that was shaved for surgery, noting an improvement in her condition as she experiences fewer headaches, though she still tires more easily. Her recovery required surgery to replace part of her skull, which was removed to accommodate brain swelling.

She said she hopes her hair grows back before she starts high school. 

“Thank you all for supporting me, I’m doing ok. I’ve been allowed to return to school which is great because I missed my friends and it was hard to miss out on so much. I still can’t play sports but I’ve been cheering on my friends and running the scoreboard,” Lydia said in the statement, ending with thanking everyone for prayers, love, and support. 

Lydia returned to school earlier this month. Her father, Harry, is a gym teacher at Annunciation School. Harry Kaiser and his wife, Leah, met with Vice President JD Vance in the wake of the shooting and urged him and the Trump administration to take action against the rising tide of gun violence.