Immokalee woman hurt in MSU shooting releases first public statement

Shot during a mass shooting at Michigan State University, an Immokalee High School graduate is on the mend.

Guadalupe Huapilla-Perez still has a long way to go, but on Friday, WINK News got an update from her family.

Huapilla-Perez is an ambitious young woman. She chose to continue her studies at Michigan State. She was on campus at Berkey Hall on February 13 when a gunman opened fire, killing three students.

Huapilla-Perez was one of five others who survived.

Since that day, her family has been by her side, posting updates on her recovery. She is improving, but her injuries are far from healed.

For the first time, Huapilla-Perez posted her own statement on her Facebook page. She thanks God, her family, and everyone for their support, and in chilling words, She recounts the moments she remembers. “On February 13th, I came face to face with one of my biggest fears: experiencing a school shooting. I remember the sound of the first bullet shot. I remember calling my mom – afraid, so afraid that that would be the last time I talked to her. For her, a call she never expected but always feared receiving.”

Huapilla-Perez said she faces at least two more surgeries. The mental and emotional trauma from the shooting is something she will have to live with every day.