Nearly three-year-old TJ Thompson of Silver Spring, Maryland, is being called a “miracle baby” by his devoted grandmother, Janiel Thompson, after surviving a horrifying 15-story fall.
TJ fell from a balcony on the 15th floor at the Enclave Apartments on May 15, and against all odds, the young boy is not only alive—he’s learning to walk again, slowly reclaiming the milestones he lost in the blink of an eye.
“He still has nightmares and flashbacks,” Janiel told 11Alive. “One time he thought he was falling again while in his wheelchair—you could just see the fear in his eyes.”
Janiel and her wife, Whitley, have stepped in as primary caregivers since the accident.
The couple has been helping TJ adjust emotionally and physically following the life-threatening trauma. From relearning how to walk to starting potty training over, their grandson’s healing journey has been filled with both heartbreak and hope.
The Fall That Shattered and Changed Everything
On that tragic May afternoon, TJ was visiting family when he somehow fell from a 15th-floor balcony. Miraculously, he landed in bushes below, which softened the blow enough to save his life.
The toddler suffered a broken leg, torn neck ligaments, bruised lungs, and a lacerated liver. He spent weeks in the hospital in a full leg cast, unable to move as he once had.
“Even though he’s in good spirits, he can’t move the way he used to,” Janiel said. “He was doing so well, and then everything just came to a halt.”
A Long Road to Recovery
Today, TJ uses a wheelchair and walker to get around. While he’s making strides in therapy, he remains afraid to put weight on his injured leg.
“If he jumps or falls the wrong way, it could mean another six weeks in a cast,” Whitley explained. “But he’s still just being a kid.”
The family is cautiously optimistic about a medical check-up next week, which will determine whether TJ is ready to begin formal physical therapy.
In the meantime, he’s gearing up for an important milestone, his third birthday. When asked what he wants most for his big day, TJ didn’t hesitate:
“I want a bulldozer, please,” he said with a grin.
Rallying Support for a Bright Future
The Thompsons have launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover mounting medical bills and future therapy costs, which are not fully covered by insurance.
The emotional weight of the ordeal still lingers, but the family says they are trying to focus on progress, not pain.
“He’s our miracle baby,” said Janiel. “No child should have to go through this, but we are so proud of how far he’s come.”
