For a man known for his no-nonsense business acumen, UFC CEO Dana White’s deeply personal and financial intervention for a 12-year-old shooting victim reveals a side of him the public rarely sees. After the mass shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia, in February, the UFC head honcho felt deeply heartbroken when he learned about Maya Gebala, the 12-year-old girl who was shot in her neck and head while attempting to lock the library doors to protect her classmates.

The injuries left her in a coma, fighting for her life. After seeing her struggle, Dana White stepped in and provided financial help, offering much-needed support during her recovery.

For a while, Maya Gebala was hospitalized at a children’s hospital in British Columbia. However, recent reports suggest Dana White has flown Gebala and her family to America, helping them with her treatment at a specialized hospital in LA and lodging facilities for her family. The UFC head honcho has now shared an update on Gebala following the recent Fight Night in Canada.

“I saw it on the news, and I reached out to the family,” White stated at the UFC Winnipeg post-fight presser. “That was it. I said, ‘I would like to help anyway that I can.’ And obviously, the situation she is in, you know. When you’re a parent, you want the best possible care and they felt… I don’t wanna s—t on anybody, it’s not really my place to talk about this publicly. But they wanted to give their daughter the best chance they could, and there’s some great places in LA. There’s a good place in Houston. There’s a great place in Seattle.

“So we are still sort of working through all that. It’s not as easy as it sounds. ‘Oh, some guy with money jumps in and everything just happens.’ It’s not that easy. You would be f—ing disgusted to know how hard it really is. So, me and my team have been working on it and I gotta give Lene and Hunter, the two have been helping me with this thing. So, yeah, it’s still a work in progress. And I am gonna do my best.”

That was definitely a display of generosity from Dana White that the entire MMA community acknowledged, especially Gebala’s mother, Cia Edmonds, who praised the UFC CEO for his help and support in her daughter’s fight for survival. However, beyond the financial aid, the 58-year-old mogul also chose to honor her by placing her name on the fence at UFC Houston, a gesture that moved MMA fans. But that’s not all.

After Dana White engaged with the cause, its impact was reflected in Gebala’s donations as well. The Tumbler Ridge victim’s family opened a GoFundMe page with the aim of raising $650K CAD, approximately $467,417 USD. They have now reached nearly 80% of that goal, collecting $517,213 CAD, around $375,395.73 USD. While White did not take credit for the surge, his support helped raise awareness and encouraged more people to donate.

Furthermore, as the UFC CEO continues to receive praise from all sides. The leader of the opposition, Pierre Poilievre, also noticed his contributions and expressed heartfelt gratitude toward Dana White.

“Wow. What beautiful generosity from Dana White,” Poilievre wrote on X. “Thank you for helping this wonderful little girl and her great Canadian family.”

Now, with Dana White’s financial help and fans’ prayers, it seems Maya Gebala is making steady progress in her condition.

Maya Gebala’s mother offers an uplifting update on her condition

From the day she was hospitalized, Maya’s mother, Cia Edmonds, has been sharing her road to recovery on social media. Through her posts on Facebook and other platforms, many people came forward to help the 12-year-old girl, who has gone through multiple surgeries now. After several medical procedures, Cia shared that her daughter has been showing steady progress in her recovery. She also shed light on relocating for better treatment, with the help of Dana White.

“Maya is out of ICU. She’s aware. She is seemingly stable. Are we out of the woods? Maybe. Maya is making strong strides that far exceed all and any expectations,” she wrote on Facebook. “I grieve a child, while I look her in the eye. I grieve the person she knew herself to be. I grieve the girl who never knew the words ‘I can’t.’ Just to be clear, I’m so happy she is with us. My only hope for her, is that she can find peace and love in her life.

“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. We are excited as well as nervous, away from family and resources, an opportunity we couldn’t refuse.”

With Maya Gebala on the road to recovery, we hope the 12-year-old continues to improve and can return to a normal life after facing such a tragedy.