A French boy thrown from the viewing balcony at the Tate art gallery on 4 August 2019 has “a smile back on his face” after being discharged from hospital, his family have said. The child, who was six when he was badly injured in the attack by then teenager Jonty Bravery, is now back at school briefly and continuing his recovery almost seven years after the incident.
The French youngster, whose name remains undisclosed for privacy reasons, was on holiday with his parents when he was attacked at the attraction. He survived a 30-metre (100ft) fall but suffered life-changing injuries, including a bleed on the brain and multiple broken bones.
His family, who call him “notre petit chevalier” (our little knight), said in an update on a GoFundMe page that he was able to return to school shortly before the summer holidays. They said the hospital stay had been kept as short as possible because he had become deeply disheartened and kept asking when he could go back to class and see his friends.
“We wanted to let you know that our little knight has finally left the hospital!
“His hospital stay was kept as short as possible because, despite our daily presence and encouragement, our son was becoming deeply disheartened and kept asking when he could go back to class and see his friends.
“It was a great joy for him to return to school shortly before the summer holidays; since the lessons were well-tailored to his needs and challenges, he was able to start learning again, and reuniting with his teachers and classmates put a smile back on his face.”
In April this year, his family said his recovery had taken a “sad step backwards”, making the latest update a more positive development. The child continues to undergo intensive rehabilitation, including physiotherapy, speech therapy and neuropsychology.
The GoFundMe page was set up by nurse Vicky Diplacto, from Surrey, whose own brother was paralysed in an incident overseas. The crowdfunding initiative, which aims to cover the medical costs of the injured French boy’s family, has so far raised more than £500,000.
To celebrate the end of his hospital treatment, his family are planning a tandem paragliding flight for him and a seaside getaway with friends. He also plans to resume his adaptive swimming lessons and maths tutoring to help him catch up on the school he has missed.
His family said: “It will certainly be a busy summer. We are going to try to fully recharge his batteries (and our own) before the start of the school year, and to get back to a family routine as normal as possible.”
Bravery, now 24, was in supported accommodation at the time of the attack but allowed out unsupervised. He intended to select and kill someone, a court was later told. Bravery, who was 17 at the time, pleaded guilty to attempted murder and was handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 15 years.
Jonty Bravery pleaded guilty to attempted murder after the attack. Photograph: Metropolitan Police/PA
He was jailed for 16 weeks in January after being found guilty of assaulting two nurses at Broadmoor, a high-security psychiatric hospital in Berkshire, in September 2024. In 2020, he was given a 14-week jail sentence after admitting to attacking staff at the same hospital.
How is the boy recovering now?
He is continuing intensive rehabilitation while gradually returning to everyday life, including school, lessons and activities he had missed during his long hospital stay. His family said reuniting with teachers and classmates helped restore his smile, and they hope the summer will help him recover further before the new school year.
Who is supporting the family?
The family’s GoFundMe campaign was set up by nurse Vicky Diplacto, from Surrey, who said her own brother had been paralysed in an incident overseas. The fundraiser has raised more than £500,000 to help cover the family’s medical costs and ongoing support needs.
What happened to Bravery after the attack?
Bravery was 17 at the time of the attack and later pleaded guilty to attempted murder, receiving a life sentence with a minimum term of 15 years. He was in supported accommodation when he was allowed out unsupervised, and a court later heard that he intended to select and kill someone.
He was jailed for 16 weeks in January after being found guilty of assaulting two nurses at Broadmoor in September 2024. In 2020, he was given a 14-week jail sentence after admitting to attacking staff at the same hospital.
What happens next for the boy?
His family said the summer will be busy as he returns to adaptive swimming lessons and maths tutoring while also taking time with friends and family. They plan to keep a family routine “as normal as possible” before the start of the school year.
Key Facts
- The boy was attacked at the Tate art gallery on 4 August 2019.
- He was six at the time and suffered a 30-metre (100ft) fall.
- His injuries included a bleed on the brain and multiple broken bones.
- The GoFundMe has raised more than £500,000.
- Bravery, now 24, is serving a life sentence with a minimum term of 15 years.
