The boy was visiting London on holiday with his parents when he was thrown from the 10th-floor balcony in August 2019, according to reports. He survived the 30-meter fall but sustained life-altering injuries including a brain bleed and numerous broken bones, his family said. The attacker, Jonty Bravery, was 17 at the time and admitted attempted murder, receiving a life sentence with a minimum term of 15 years, court records show. Bravery, now 24, was living in supported accommodation but permitted out without supervision when he carried out the attack, having planned to choose and kill someone, a court heard.
The boy remains hospitalized in a rehabilitation center because he is still unable to walk, his family shared. They posted an update on a GoFundMe page on Tuesday, revealing his recovery appears to have taken a 'sad step backward' after an operation in January. The boy has only been able to have weekend leave for the past three weeks, in a wheelchair, the family noted. His rehabilitation is proving longer and more difficult than expected, they added. In October, the family described how the boy had reached his goal of being able to run, jump, and swim once more.
The family has found a school perfectly suited to his needs, which he was able to visit before his operation, they reported. The boy made new friends at the school who have stayed in touch and encourage him, according to the family. London nurse Vicky Diplacto established the GoFundMe appeal to assist, she said. The family remains uncertain how much longer his hospital stay will need to continue.