A young boy who suffered life-changing injuries when he was thrown from the Tate Modern viewing platform is “contradicting doctors’ predictions”, his family has said. The boy, aged six at the time of the 100ft (30m) fall in August 2019, had been visiting London from France.
In a statement on a fundraising page for the boy, his parents said they have been noticing huge improvements.
They said: “He manages to put his leg splints on his own (we just have to check that they are put correctly). He holds the standing position longer and continues to gain little by little in balance. He continues to fall, but less (and of course we catch him up!). His breath is also improving, this can be heard in his voice which is gaining in power. Phrases where he communicates only in monosyllables tend to be spaced out.”
The French family also said their son manages throw a small ball with his left hand.
“We are always happy to see new movements,” the family added. “Even if it contradicts the predictions of some doctors, it proves that he will never lose hope! Finally, for the first time, we were able to take him to a park. Until now we had avoided this place - upsetting for us and frustrating for him - where he could have done nothing but watch the other children play.”
More than €349,158 (£296,712) has been raised towards his care.
I am delighted for the young boy and his devoted parents. Progress has been achingly slow but continues to justify the care and attention paid to the child.
I get notifications of the updates on the fundraising page for this child. In the latest one, they speak of their relief that the rehabilitation centre has agreed to continue his care, after 10 months of uncertainty. They now have confirmation from the co-ordinating doctor that he will receive the care he needs for as long as he needs it, which will be for several years yet. He has also been able to celebrate his birthday ‘for the first time with other children since the attack’, with classmates being invited and they all had a great afternoon together. Another small step.
The attack still fills me with horror when I think of it, and just brings home how much we are all treading this fine line through life. We must never take anything for granted - be thankful for every day.
The boy, who was six at the time of the fall in 2019, was “delighted” to take part in adapted archery and a form of Judo, his family said in a statement.
They also said his sight and memory was improving.
Jonty Bravery was convicted of attempted murder and jailed in 2020.
During Bravery’s sentencing, the court heard the boy, who had been visiting London from France, would require round-the-clock care until at least 2022 as he had suffered a bleed to the brain and fractures to his spine.
In a post on a GoFundMe page, which has raised almost 400,000 euros (£354,000) towards his recovery, the boy’s family said he was increasingly taking part in physical activity as part of his treatment.
They said they had spoken to specialists in Paris, who had recommended appropriate physical activity, and as a result, they had registered him “for equine therapy and the swimming pool with his specialised educator”.
The family said the boy had taken up a gentle form of Judo in October and had occasionally taken part in adapted archery.
“Our son has always loved sports, he is delighted to do all this,” they said.
They said the youngster’s sight and memory was also improving and he had made “considerable progress in swallowing and breathing”.
“He remembers more and more things he did or was told during the day,” they said.
They added that he had received “very positive” school results and “manages to follow in class despite his difficulties, because he is extremely courageous and hardworking”.
I am amazed at the boy’s persistence and achievements which must be due to the ongoing love and care that he is receiving … merci to them and bonne chance to him …
The boy’s family said, in an update posted on a GoFundMe page, their house was being adapted for his “precarious” walking. The boy, who spent months in intensive care, has also developed a passion for green issues. His family said:
“He reinvests what he learned this year at school, in particular to protect the planet: he does not forget to remind us to turn off the lights, to save water and collect all the trash he finds on the beach or in the forest. Our son is now able to bend down, squat, grab his toys and clothes with both hands from his closet without falling or dropping them. More importantly, he now only uses his wheelchair for long outings.”
They said, during a summer spent in the mountains, he had enjoyed walking with his cane, and although he “falls a lot”, this happens much less than last year. He has been able to visit an indoor adventure park with an adapted high-rope course, which his family says he loves and where instructors take turns to accompany him. The child is preparing for the new school year, and will now attend each morning with group care and rehabilitation in the afternoons. His memory is progressing, and he has been able to try watching movies with his family, which was previously too exhausting.
Posting an update via a GoFundMe page, they told how they had adopted a dog “who brings life and joy to our home”. In the latest update, the boy’s parents, who have also not been named, described their son as “courageous” and praised the help of his classmates.
They wrote: “We finally managed to find a swimming instructor who, despite the complexity of the task, agreed to give swimming lessons to our little boy. The aim is to enable him to gain autonomy in the water, despite his limitations. Our son is thus rediscovering old sensations and is very happy with the progress he is able to make, he managed to touch up the bottom of the small pool bath with one hand, like before.”
They added the boy has also been to Paris for check-ups with surgeons and no longer needs an operation on his left arm as his mobility has improved. But, the parents added: “The gap in his leg length unfortunately widens with growth. This amplifies the pressure on the hip, and surgery remains, therefore, relevant for this other part of the body. However, there is still progress in terms of balance and walking. Our son can finally benefit from an articulated splint on his left ankle, which was not possible until now because his ankle was too fragile. He thus gains freedom of movement.”
