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Boy, 7, thrown from Tate Modern balcony makes progress in recovery, family says

<p>The boy was thrown from a viewing platform at the Tate Modern </p> (REUTERS)

The boy was thrown from a viewing platform at the Tate Modern

(REUTERS)

A seven-year-old boy who suffered life-changing injuries when he was hurled from the Tate Modern viewing platform has started to walk with the help of a cane.

The boy's family said he has had his medication lowered, is feeling less pain and is trying to sing, more than a year after teenager Jonty Bravery threw him from the 10th-storey balcony at the London gallery.

Bravery, who is now 19, is serving a 15-year prison sentence for attempted murder of the boy, who was aged six at the time of the incident.

In a statement updating well-wishers about the young victim's progress as he continues his recovery in his native France, the boy's family described how his condition has improved.

<p>Jonty Bravery</p>PA

Jonty Bravery

PA

They said he is no longer allowed to go home on weekends, so family members spend seven days a week in hospital.

The family said that spending every night in hospital "is very tiring because of the noise, and also very disturbing".

Their statement reads: "Our son's memory is once again greatly affected. He no longer remembers what he did that day or what day it is.

"Despite everything, he continues to make efforts and progress: he begins to walk with a tetrapod cane while we hold him by the back of the coat for balance.

"He also has less pain, so the doctors were able to lower his medication.

“He tries to do more and more things with his left arm like holding his tube of toothpaste or his glasses case to close it.

"He continues to recover his breath. He still speaks very slowly, but now speaks word by word and no longer syllable by syllable.

"He tries to sing and make up songs with rhymes. He was able to start using the blowpipe with the rehabilitators to continue improving his breathing."

The family of the boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said they are "impatiently awaiting" the return of weekend leaves and visits because he misses his grandparents and friends.

In September, the family announced the boy could stand unaided, telling well-wishers in a statement: "We are already seeing new progress: he can at last stand on his legs without any help or support!"