Lisa Banfield, the common-law spouse of Gabriel Wortman, recounts her harrowing experience during the 2020 Nova Scotia mass shooting in her memoir, The First Survivor: Life with Canada’s Deadliest Mass Shooter, set for release on January 20, 2026. On the eve of their 19th anniversary, she faced escalating violence from Wortman, who ultimately murdered 22 people. The memoir details her terrifying struggle for survival as she attempted to escape his abuse on that fateful night. Banfield’s narrative sheds light on the personal impact of one of Canada’s deadliest mass shootings.
