Boy thrown from Tate Modern balcony on 10th floor 'mostly out of his wheelchair'
The French boy who survived after being thrown from the 10th floor balcony of the Tate Modern is mostly walking now.
The young tourist was six years old when he was badly hurt after Jonty Bravery, who was 17 at the time, threw him off the balcony on 4 August 2019.
The child survived the 100ft (30m) fall but had to undergo round-the-clock treatment for his life-changing injuries, including a bleed on the brain and broken bones.
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Miraculously, the boy’s family say he is now mostly out of his wheelchair and can bend down, squat and grab his toys and clothes with both hands from his closet without dropping them or falling.
The family shared an update on a GoFundMe page for their ‘notre petit chevalier’ - our little knight - which has raised more than €400,000 (£343,000) for his recovery. Their house is now being adapted for his ‘precarious’ walking.
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."
The boy and his family spent the summer months in the mountains, where he enjoyed walking with his cane, the family said. Although he ‘falls a lot’, this happens much less compared to last year.
He has been able to visit an indoor adventure park with an adapted high-rope course, which the family said he loves. Instructors take turns to accompany him at the park.
The boy is now preparing for the new school year and will attend each morning with group care and rehabilitation in the afternoon.
Previously, watching films was too exhausting for him but he has been able to do it recently as his memory is progressing.
In 2019, Bravery, who is autistic, was living in supported accommodation but was allowed out unsupervised.
He told supervisors he was going to visit a local shopping centre but instead travelled to the Tate Modern art gallery in central London. He intended to select someone and kill them, the court was later told.
Bravery pleaded guilty to attempted murder and was sentenced to 15 years in prison in 2020.
Gregory Robinson