Family from small northern Ontario town says life will never be the same after shooting in a workplace

WARNING: This story contains graphic details. 

On Dec. 12  Bridgette Hagen was at work at the Northern Credit Union, in Wawa, 200 kilometres north of Sault Ste. Marie, just like any other day.

But that morning, a shooter entered the bank and opened fire. She was hit twice.

Her husband, Kevin Hagen, was working at an underground gold mine when he got a call that Bridgette had been shot.

"We both took the air ambulance flight to Sudbury," he said.

Hagen said Bridgette needed to have an arm amputated after the attack, and also had injuries to her lungs and colon.

"They had to try to reattach it twice in the following days," he said.

Her femur was also shattered and had to be put together with screws.

Bridgette had been at the hospital for over a week when Hagen spoke with CBC News.

He said her breathing tube came out on Thursday, and she was able to speak a couple of words at that time.

"She's heavily medicated right now for her pain in her left leg," Hagen said.

The shooting has shocked the small northern Ontario community, and a GoFundMe campaign to help support the family had raised more than $129,000 by Friday afternoon.

Hagen said life will never be the same for his young family.

"This is all new to us," he said.

"I don't know how to deal with her disability and will need help. We need an occupational therapist to tell us what we need around the house. But she will have the support of the community. I know that for sure. She's got a lot of friends that care about her and love her."

In a news release following the attack, police said one person, whom they believe was the shooter, was found dead at the scene.

"From what they tell me, the person was very angry and had mental health issues," Hagen said.

He said he could not fixate on anger with the shooter.

"I'll never be able to move forward in life if I don't leave it where it is right now, in the past," he said.