Tate Modern attack victim leaves hospital after seven years, family confirms

A French boy who was thrown from the Tate Modern viewing balcony in 2019 has left hospital after seven years of treatment, his family confirmed this week. The boy, who was six at the time of the attack, suffered life-changing injuries, including a brain bleed and multiple broken bones, after being thrown 100 feet from the gallery’s tenth floor.

The family, who have called him "notre petit chevalier" (our little knight), said he returned to school ahead of the summer holidays. They described his return to class as a "great joy," noting that tailored lessons and reuniting with friends had restored his smile. The boy will continue intensive rehabilitation, including physiotherapy, speech therapy, and neuropsychology.

Family raises over £500,000 for medical costs

A GoFundMe page set up by nurse Vicky Diplacto, whose brother was paralysed in an overseas incident, has raised more than £500,000 for the boy’s medical expenses. The family said the funds would support his ongoing recovery, including adaptive swimming lessons and maths tutoring to catch up on missed schooling.

To mark the end of his hospital stay, the family planned a tandem paragliding flight and a seaside trip with friends. The update on the GoFundMe page described the boy’s relief at leaving hospital, where he had grown disheartened despite daily visits from his parents.

Attacker jailed for life, later convicted of assaulting nurses

Jonty Bravery, who was 17 at the time of the attack, pleaded guilty to attempted murder in 2019. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 15 years. The court heard Bravery had intended to kill someone when he threw the boy from the balcony.

Bravery, now 24, was living in supported accommodation at the time of the attack but was allowed out unsupervised. In 2020, he was jailed for 14 weeks after assaulting staff at Broadmoor Hospital, a high-security psychiatric facility in Berkshire. In January 2025, he received a 16-week sentence for assaulting two nurses at the same hospital in September 2024.

What happens next

The boy will continue his rehabilitation, including speech and physiotherapy, while resuming his education. His family has not disclosed further details about his long-term plans but confirmed he would return to adaptive swimming and maths tutoring. Bravery remains in custody, with no indication of a parole hearing date.