SHE WAS ALWAYS SMILING

“SHE WAS ALWAYS SMILING” — HEARTBREAKING PHOTOS OF MAYA GEBALA SPARK $500,000 SURGE IN DONATIONS AS SHE FIGHTS FOR HER LIFE 4 The image is almost too painful to look at — a bright, carefree 12-year-old grin beside a hospital bed where the same little girl now lies wrapped in bandages. As Maya Gebala continues her critical fight in a Vancouver hospital following the Tumbler Ridge school shooting, that stark contrast has shaken thousands across the country. Friends and strangers alike have flooded social media with prayers and messages of strength, sharing side-by-side photos of Maya before and after the tragedy. The emotional wave quickly turned into action: a GoFundMe campaign launched to support her treatment has now surpassed $500,000, with donations pouring in by the minute. “She deserves every chance to heal,” one supporter wrote as the total ticked upward in real time. Outside the hospital, candles flicker and stuffed animals pile higher each night, while her family holds onto hope that the same smile lighting up those photos will one day return. And as the fundraising number climbs, it’s clear the world is refusing to let Maya face this battle alone