THE case of the six-year-old French boy allegedly thrown from a viewing platform at the Tate Modern in August has more or less vanished from the news. Jonty Bravery, 18, is awaiting trial on a charge of attempted murder.
Meanwhile the child is in hospital unable to move, speak or eat. His parents give occasional updates on the GoFundMe page set up by Vicky, a nurse.
This was posted a month ago:
‘Our little boy does not know any more how to speak, to eat or to move his body, but he begins to do his best to move his tongue, his right arm and his hand. We begin also to see his suffering . . . he understands everything but does not understand why he cannot manage to eat or swallow a little bit of yoghurt for instance. He wants so much to be able to do it. We have to be strong for our little boy. He keeps on smiling and making progress bravely.’
The parents continue to hope that their child will recover and be able to speak and eat again. He is ‘sometimes a little bit sad when he doesn’t manage to do what he tries’.
If ever there was an instance of what St Paul said about love this is it. That it ‘beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things’.
The plight of this family forces us to wrench our thoughts away from political and social events and to look into our souls. We think we live in troubled times? We do not know what troubles are. The parents’ courage, forbearance and fortitude are inspirational. In a world of wickedness, cowardice and self-infatuation they are beacons of virtue.
The funding target was set at a modest £150,000, a small fraction of what will be needed for lifetime care. It has not yet been reached. Individual contributions range from £5 to £400. Here is the link.
