Boy, 5, Thrown Off Mall of America Balcony Is Back in School and Walking 'Perfectly,' Family Says
Landen Hoffman, the five-year-old boy who was thrown from a third-floor balcony at the Mall of America, is enjoying school again after coming home from the hospital in August.
An update posted to his family-run GoFundMe campaign — which has raised over $1 million — on Friday gave a heartwarming glimpse at his life and his recovery.
“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!” the post, written by Landen’s family, explained.
“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 said.
On April 12, 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 Minnesota by Emmanuel Deshawn Aranda, 25. Aranda was charged with attempted premeditated first-degree murder after the attack. He pleaded guilty in May and was sentenced to 19 years in prison.
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“[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 child’s 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!”
On the day of the incident, Aranda, “without warning,” picked up the boy and threw him over the railing to the first floor. Landen fell about 40 feet to the ground below. After the attack, Landen continued to make great strides in his recovery, which doctors stopped short of calling miraculous.
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“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,” Landen’s family wrote. “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.”
Landen continues to make great strides in his recovery, which doctors stopped short of calling miraculous.
