iStock(ST. PAUL, Minn.) — The 5-year-old boy who was thrown from a third-floor balcony at the Mall of America is now “walking perfectly” after he spent months recovering in intensive care, a family friend said in a statement.
The boy, only identified by the name Landen, was attacked at the Minnesota mall on April 12 by a man who authorities said was “looking to kill someone.” He was with at least one of his parents at the time, police said.
Landen was released from the hospital in August and is now walking “perfectly” and with “even legs,” Noah Hanneman, the man who organized the GoFundMe campaign that raised more than $1 million, wrote in an updated statement on Friday.
The boy suffered a broken femur and open wound on his stomach due to the fall, causing him to walk with a limp even after he returned home, Hanneman wrote. His full recovery came after several rounds of physical therapy. The family is optimistic that they will soon be able to wean him off some of his medications.
Landen also “loves” being back at school with his twin brother and sister, according to the statement.
“He gets out of the car every morning happy and blows kisses all the way in!” Hanneman said. “He’s a strong, happy boy.”
Emmanuel Aranda, the 24-year-old man who threw Landen off the balcony, pleaded guilty to attempted murder in May. The plea deal required prosecutors to drop the aggravated circumstances portion of the charge.
Aranda received a sentence of 19 years, two-thirds of which must be spent in prison, ABC St. Paul, Minnesota, affiliate KSTP-TV reported.
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