‘Angels caught me’ — boy thrown from mall balcony returns to school

The boy who was thrown from a third-floor balcony at Mall of America in Minnesota earlier this year is walking normally and has returned to school after months of treatment, his family announced.

»PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Boy thrown from Mall of America balcony is out of intensive care unit

According to the family's GoFundMe page, 5-year-old Landen Hoffman came home from the hospital in August with an open wound on his abdomen and a limp because of a broken femur he suffered in the April 12 attack.

On that morning, Landen was out shopping with his mother and friends at the mall when a stranger, Emmanuel Deshawn Aranda, 24, of Minneapolis, approached and hurled the boy over the railing to the first floor nearly 40 feet down.

Landen suffered numerous broken bones that required 15 surgeries, but luckily he showed no signs of brain damage, family said.

»MORE: Boy thrown from Mall of America balcony shows no sign of brain damage

Aranda was later caught aboard a train. He has since pleaded guilty to first-degree attempted murder and was sentenced in June to 19 years in prison.

»PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Man who threw boy from Mall of America balcony sentenced to 19 years in prison

Today Landen is in good spirits and able to attend the same kindergarten as his twin brother and sister, family said.

More than $1 million has been donated on a GoFundMe, where family posts regular updates about Landen’s recovery.