Six months after the Feb. 13 shooting on the campus of Michigan State University, the family of injured student Guadalupe Huapilla-Perez shared that although her condition has improved, she is still recovering from her injuries and surgeries.
On the night of Feb. 13, Huapilla-Perez underwent emergency surgery to repair the internal organs damaged by two bullets that entered her abdomen. Doctors had to remove her spleen during the operation, as it had sustained the greatest impact. She then spent a month in Sparrow hospital recovering from the initial trauma.
The recent update, which was posted to the family’s GoFundMe, described Huapilla-Perez’s experience after the first month in the hospital. They shared that in April, she was cleared to return to Florida. Huapilla-Perez, the sustainable parks, recreation and tourism junior, was glad to go home.
“Nothing made her happier than knowing she was going home,” the family wrote. “She was excited for the Florida heat, home cooked meals, and being surrounded by our entire family. Once home, we saw an improvement in her emotional and mental state, which our family was so happy to see.”
However, Huapilla-Perez’s recovery once in Florida was not easy. Not only did she continue to experience pain in her abdomen from the wound, but she was also diagnosed with nerve damage in her legs. She had already started physical therapy in the hospital, but “it was not enough to offset the majority of time she spent on bed rest,” her family wrote. As a result, she started using a wheelchair and taking medications to ease the pain as she regained strength in her legs.
Then, in May, Huapilla-Perez returned to the emergency room because “a physically demanding day of being back and forth in doctors appointments” caused her wound to reopen. This delayed the wound’s healing by weeks.
“We were reminded of the limitations her new body exists in, one where physical movement is necessary for recovery but too much can also be cause for concern,” the family wrote.
By the end of July, Huapilla-Perez’s body was “finally physically stable,” which meant they could proceed with the second surgery. Huapilla-Perez and her family returned to Michigan, this time to repair the damage to her colon. The surgery was successful, and she is now healing and resting from the operation, the family said.
The second surgery was not only physically taxing, but also emotionally difficult for Huapilla-Perez and her family.
“We are immensely grateful for the medical team who operated on Lupe and the healthcare workers who welcomed us back to Sparrow so warmly,” the family wrote. “For our family, it was an emotional rollercoaster being back at Sparrow. We were grateful that Lupe was taking one more step in her recovery - but it also resurfaced the sadness and pain we experienced when we first came in February.”
Throughout Huapilla-Perez’s recovery, her family has been by her side every step of the way. The experience taught them that “healing is not linear,” and to “take everything one day at a time.”
“Our family's priority continues to be Lupe's health and happiness and all we can ask for is continued prayers for her health and continued love and support for all of the students and families impacted,” the family wrote. “For our family, these past six months have not been easy - but your care, support, and well wishes have brought us far. For Lupe, all she can continue saying is ‘Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.’”
The family’s post also recognized the other four survivors and their families, as well as the three students who died and the impacts their losses had on loved ones.
“Today on the half year mark, we honor Brian Fraser, Arielle Diamond Anderson, and Alexandria Verner,” the family wrote. “We send our love to their families and friends and know that no words will ever ease the pain left by their absence. We hold the families of the other four survivors in our hearts and continue to pray for their progress and recovery.”
