AFPThe family of a young boy who was left with life-threatening injuries after he was thrown from the 10th floor of London’s Tate Modern art gallery have said their “little knight” has achieved his goal of being able to run, jump, and swim again.
The French youngster was six when he was thrown from a balcony by teenager Jonty Bravery, then 17.
The boy, who was on holiday with his parents in August 2019 when he was attacked, survived a 100ft (30m) fall but suffered life-changing injuries, including a bleed on the brain and broken bones.
His family said in an update on a GoFundMe page, they were happy that he had been able to progress with his running, jumping and swimming before his next operation.
“He can’t do it like other children his age, of course, but we can no longer describe what he does in any other way than by saying it’s running, jumping, and swimming.
“It’s different, only over a few meters or a very small height, but it’s an incredible achievement.”
The boy, who spent months in intensive care, has continued to gain cognitive endurance.
His family said although his memory skills were still very limited, they were functional and improving, so he was “acquiring a general knowledge at his own pace, which increasingly allows him to be included with other children”.
‘Mission accomplished’
They added: “He’s also maturing, and thanks to his work with the psychomotor therapist, he now allows himself to relax.
“Previously, to compensate for his weakness on the left side, he kept his right side constantly tense, which caused him pain.
“Today, our pre-teen (we have to face the facts, he’s not a little boy anymore) has understood that he needs to give himself breaks; we need to remind him less.”
PA MediaHe has also achieved a long-held goal with his father: “As we live a few kilometres from the sea, they had set their final goal of having a picnic at the beach and then returning.
“After several progressive training sessions, they finally completed their 2.5 hour journey. They returned exhausted but delighted. Mission accomplished.”
Following a trial at the Old Bailey, Bravery was found guilty of attempted murder and was jailed in 2020 for at least 15 years.
