Boy thrown from Tate Modern balcony is now 'very happy' after swimming lessons

11 February 2024 , 13:04

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The lad was six when he was thrown off a balcony, falling more than 100ft (Image: Jam Press)

A young boy who was thrown more than 100ft from the Tate Modern's roof by a stranger is said to be making strong progress as he continues his rehabilitation.

The French boy, then six, was on holiday with his parents in August 2019 when he was forced off the 10th floor balcony by Jonty Bravery. The then 17-year-old was jailed for 15 years a year later, after admitting attempted murder.

The unnamed boy suffered a bleed on the brain and several broken bones in the incident and his parents have been sending updates on their “little knight”. In the latest, they said he is getting over problems with reading and writing and making progress with his walking and balance. He has also learned to swim and got a pet dog.

His parents said: “Our little knight is still so courageous. Our son's return to school, in his new class, went well.

“He happily found some of his classmates and his first results are encouraging despite major difficulties in reading and writing, linked to his head trauma. In any case, he is always delighted to go to school and works hard to try to make up for his shortcomings.

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“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.

"We adopted a dog, an extremely kind Golden Retriever, who brings a lot of life and joy to our home. Our son loves playing with him and is pleased to note that the dog does a lot more mischief than him.”

They added he has also been to Paris for checkups with surgeons and no longer needs an op on his left arm as his mobility has got better. The parents added: “On the other hand, the gap in 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.”

Antony Clements-Thrower