The black youth who was shot in the head by a white pensioner when he went to the wrong house and knocked on the door has made a “miraculous” recovery, his family said. He is now back home from the hospital.
Ralph Yarl, 16, was shot twice by 84-year-old Andrew Lester in Kansas City, Missouri, on April 13 after he accidentally knocked on his door while going to get his younger brothers.
Ralph has since gone home from the hospital and “can walk and talk,” according to an update on a GoFundMe page that his aunt, Faith Spoonmore, set up for her nephew.
Ms. Spoonmore said, “Ralph is at home with his family right now.” He can move around and talk. A real wonder, given what he went through.”
“Every day is different,” she said. He still has a long way to go. But we’re very grateful that he’s still with us. I’ve been reading Ralph’s emails and notes when I have time. It makes us happy to see him smile at all the nice things people say about him.”
Prognosis “Very, very good”
More than $3.2 million (£2.5 million) has been raised for the high school junior. Celebrities like American actors Christina Ricci and Julianne Hough are among the donors.
“Thursday night, doctors were scraping bullet fragments off his brain,” the family’s lawyer, “Lee Merritt, told CNN on Tuesday night. He was let out of the hospital on Saturday.”
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He said that the teen’s outlook was “very, very positive,” and he added, “He is expected to make a full recovery, with the exception of scarring and maybe long-term CTE and post-traumatic brain injury symptoms.”
On Tuesday, US Vice President Joe Biden wrote on Twitter that he had called Ralph and his family. He wrote, “Ralph, we’ll see you in the Oval once you’re feeling better.”
Mr. Lester has been arrested and charged with first-degree assault and armed criminal action. If he is found guilty, he could spend up to 15 years in jail.
According to charging papers, police talked to Ralph while he was in the hospital getting treatment. Ralph told police that he rang the doorbell and waited until a man opened the door and shot him in the head.
Ralph told police that the man shot him again while he was on the ground. This time, he hit him in the arm. He got up and ran away to escape being shot again, and he heard the man say, “Don’t come around here.”
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