UFC President Dana White Funds Rehab for Tumbler Ridge Shooting Survivor in LA
The family of Maya Gebala, a survivor of the tragic Tumbler Ridge school shooting in British Columbia, has accepted an extraordinary offer from Ultimate Fighting Championship president Dana White. White has pledged to cover all expenses for Maya's aggressive rehabilitation treatment at a top-tier hospital in Los Angeles, California, along with accommodations for her family during her stay.
Family Decision After Weeks of Deliberation
In a heartfelt Facebook post on Thursday, Maya's mother Cia Edmonds revealed the family's difficult decision-making process. "After many nights of research, questioning, and fear of the unknown, we decided to say yes to an opportunity for an aggressive approach to her rehabilitation through privatized health care," Edmonds wrote. She expressed both excitement and nervousness about the upcoming journey, acknowledging they would be away from family and familiar resources in Canada.
The family must wait until Maya is medically stable enough to transfer from B.C. Children's Hospital before proceeding with the Los Angeles treatment plan. Edmonds described their current state as "living somewhere in the middle" while awaiting all logistical arrangements to fall into place.
UFC Community Support and Recognition
Dana White first contacted the Gebala family approximately one week after Maya entered intensive care following the February 10 shooting incident. The UFC president's generous offer includes fully paid medical attention at what Edmonds described as "one of the world's most top tier hospitals in LA California," though the specific facility was not named in her social media posts.
The UFC community has shown remarkable support for Maya's recovery journey. During a February 21 UFC event in Houston, Maya's name was prominently displayed on one of the octagon's upper supports, a gesture her mother described as "super cool" in her Facebook post. Edmonds shared a photo from the event showing Maya's name visible in the background of the fighting cage.
Medical Context and Ethical Considerations
Maya suffered significant brain damage during the Tumbler Ridge mass shooting that claimed six lives at a school and two others in a home. The 18-year-old shooter, Jesse Van Rootselaar, left multiple victims with severe injuries requiring extensive medical intervention.
Dr. Judy Illes, a University of British Columbia medical ethicist with expertise in neurosciences, commented generally on cross-border healthcare decisions following the rehabilitation plan announcement. While not speaking specifically about Maya's case, Illes described Canada's healthcare system as "absolutely superb" with "world-class" pediatric care. She acknowledged that while the United States has specialist doctors for rare cases, Canada's neurosurgery and neurology care remain "top-of-the-line" and equivalent to what's available internationally.
Looking Toward Recovery
Edmonds expressed cautious optimism about the upcoming treatment phase in Los Angeles. "My hope is when we land in LA we will be able to build routine and relationships, that will hopefully feel normal(ish)?" she wrote in her Thursday post. Currently, she and Maya are staying in Airbnbs to maintain some normalcy, including shared breakfasts together.
The mother emphasized her primary goals for the family moving forward: "Stability and recovery." She concluded her announcement with a note of anticipation for the next chapter, writing: "A new chapter starts soon and we welcome it."
The Gebala family's decision highlights complex considerations in pediatric trauma care, including the balance between established domestic healthcare systems and specialized international treatment options, particularly when extraordinary private funding becomes available.
