Family Delivers Heartbreaking Update on Health of Boy Thrown from Tate Modern Balcony
A French boy, who suffered life-altering injuries after being thrown from the 10th-floor balcony of the Tate Modern art gallery in London, has experienced a distressing setback in his recovery, according to a recent family update.
The Tragic Attack and Its Aftermath
The incident occurred in August 2019 when the child, then just six years old, was visiting the London landmark on holiday with his parents. Teenager Jonty Bravery perpetrated the attack, causing the boy to fall approximately 100 feet (30 metres).
Miraculously, the young victim survived the fall, but he sustained severe, life-changing injuries including a brain bleed and multiple broken bones. His family affectionately refers to him as "notre petit chevalier" – meaning "our little knight" – a testament to his courage throughout the ordeal.
A "Sad Step Backward" in Rehabilitation
On Tuesday, the family posted an update on a GoFundMe page, disclosing that the boy's rehabilitation has proven "longer and more difficult than expected" following surgery in January. They revealed he remains hospitalised in a rehabilitation centre because he is still unable to walk.
"He has only been able to have weekend leave for the past three weeks, in a wheelchair, which frustrates him greatly: it feels like a sad step backward," the family stated. This marks a stark contrast to their previous update in October, where they celebrated his achievement of running, jumping, and swimming again.
Hopes for a Normal Life Amid Ongoing Struggles
The family emphasised the boy's eagerness to walk again and resume a normal life outside the rehabilitation centre, even if that normalcy involves spending half his time in treatment and only the other half at school. They noted he is particularly motivated to leave hospital after finally finding a school perfectly suited to his needs, which he visited before his operation.
"In a very short time, he made new friends who have stayed in touch despite his extended absence. They encourage him and eagerly await his return. It's a warm welcome he hasn't received at school in a long time," the post added. However, the family acknowledged uncertainty about how much longer his hospital stay will continue, pledging unwavering support: "Our little knight, as courageous as ever, continues to fight and train, and we will remain by his side to support him no matter what."
Background on the Perpetrator and Support Efforts
Jonty Bravery, now 24, was 17 at the time of the attack and pleaded guilty to attempted murder. He received a life sentence with a minimum term of 15 years. Bravery had been living in supported accommodation but was allowed out unsupervised when he committed the crime, with courts later hearing he intended to select and kill a victim.
Earlier this year, Bravery appeared before the courts again, receiving a 16-week custodial sentence for assaulting two nurses at Broadmoor, a high-security psychiatric hospital in Berkshire, in September 2024. In 2020, he was also handed a 14-week prison term after admitting to attacking staff at the same institution.
The GoFundMe campaign was established by London-based nurse Vicky Diplacto, whose brother was left paralysed following an accident abroad, to provide assistance for the boy's ongoing care and recovery needs.
