Ralph Yarl miraculously walks months after being shot in head

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Ralph Yarl, the teenager who was shot in the head after mistakenly ringing the wrong doorbell, joined a Kansas City, Missouri walk for brain injury awareness on Monday.

The Staley High School honor student, joined by a pack of family members visiting from Minnesota and elsewhere, walked in the annual Memorial Day race at Loose Park, Going the Distance for Brain Injury.

CBS News reported Yarl suffered a traumatic brain injury in April when he was shot in the head and arm after while trying to pick up his younger brothers in Northland.

Ralph Yarl, 17, has been walking a few miles every other day as part of his recovery

His mother, Cleo Nagbe, joined him for the Brain Injury Association of Kansas and Greater Kansas City’s walk. Members of “Team Ralph” rocked bright green to honor his ongoing recovery, according to KCTV.

“It’s heartwarming to see this kind of support, and I pray that the support is not just for Ralph. I pray the support goes a long way for everybody that’s in this situation—that’s my prayer,” Nagbe told KCTV.

Shooter pleaded not guilty and was released on April 18 on a $200,000 bond.

Andrew Lester, an 84-year-old white man, was charged with one count of felony assault in the first-degree and one count of armed criminal action, also a felony, Clay County prosecuting attorney Zachary Thompson said during a press conference on April 17.

According to ABC affiliate in Kansas City, KMBC, Lester’s attorney Steve Salmon filed a motion last week to have the case sealed, arguing that the media attention has created a “bias” against his client. Lester’s next court hearing is set for June 1.

Ralph Yarl is supported by the Black women in his life

After her son was shot, Nagbe told “CBS Mornings” that a doctor had said a CT scan showed “just minimal fragments of the bullet in his brain.” 

“It’s heartwarming to see this kind of support, and I pray that the support is not just for Ralph. I pray the support goes a long way for everybody that’s in this situation—that’s my prayer,” Nagbe told KCTV.

Yarl’s aunt, Faith Spoonmore, told The Kansas City Star, “This is not something that anyone planned for, however, it is one of those things where there’s a whole community of people that go through this, live life with this. It’s important for Ralph to see that he is not alone.”

Spoonmore continued, “It makes it very real. You know, it’s one thing when you see it on the news and you hear about it when it comes into your house,” she said. “We want him to see there are people still living good lives even after this. That’s the part we’re most grateful for. There’s still hope.”