Five-year-old thrown off Mall of America balcony is happy and back in school: 'I’m healed'
The five-year-old schoolboy who was thrown from a third-floor balcony at the Mall of America in Minnesota is enjoying school again after being released from the hospital in August.
Landen Hoffman's family on Friday gave a heartwarming glimpse of his life and recovery in an updated posted to his GoFundMe campaign, which has raised over $1 million, People reports.
“He loves being back to school and going to kindergarten at the same school his twin brother and sister go to. He gets out of the car every morning happy and blows kisses all the way in!” Landen’s family explained in the post.
“He’s a strong, happy boy. When his mommy asks him if she can look at his wound or asks how he’s doing, he always responds with ‘Mom, I’m healed, you don’t need to ask me anymore.’ Landen loves life and Jesus! He tells people all the time when they get hurt, don’t worry, I fell off a cliff, but Angels caught me and Jesus loves me, so I’m ok and you will be too!” the statement read.
Landen sustained severe head trauma and multiple broken bones in his arms and legs after being thrown from the third floor of the Mall of America in Bloomington on April 12. Emmanuel Deshawn Aranda, 25, was charged with attempted premeditated first-degree murder in connection with the attack after he pleaded guilty in May and was jailed for 19 years.
The family has regularly posted updates of the recovery details of the 5-year-old, and thanked all the support they have received after the horrible incident.
“[Landen] has good memories of all the people who loved him and cared for him in the hospital, so to him follow-up appointments are fun! We have many coming up in December, so please keep praying,” the Hoffman family shared.
“Landen knows people all over the world are praying for him and he loves all the cards he keeps getting in the mail. His whole family feels the love and are so grateful for the prayers and people like you who care so much about others! There was one bad person, but from that came millions of Good people!”
Aranda, on the day of the incident, picked up the child "without warning" and threw him over the railing to the first floor. Landen, who fell about 40 feet to the ground, miraculously made great strides in his recovery.
“He came home with a limp and uneven legs from a two-time broken femur, an open wound on his belly we were taking care of every night, and many follow up appointments and medications. Since then he has had many physical therapies to work on his walking,” the family explained.
“Mom has been doing everything she can to speed up the healing of his wound and working toward getting off some of his medications. He is now walking PERFECTLY with even legs AMEN. The wound has finally scabbed over and new skin is growing, and we are still optimistic he will be off some of his medications soon.”