# @thekansascitystar on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/Cstj2enNZXu
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/18810519-thekansascitystar-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/thumbnails/e23e1210c0.jpg
- **Posted:** 2023-05-26T15:45:55.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Kansas City Star (@thekansascitystar) — https://gondola.cc/thekansascitystar

## Caption

This month, Ralph Yarl turned 17. 

He celebrated with a Red Lobster seafood feast, a cake adorned with candles and a piñata stuffed with candy. 

“We were just grateful that he was still here to have his 17th birthday,” said his aunt, Faith Spoonmore. “That was the biggest blessing.” 

It’s been about six weeks since Yarl, a Staley High School junior, was shot in the head and arm by 84-year-old Andrew Lester after mistakenly going to the wrong address in the Northland while trying to pick his younger brothers up from their friend’s house.

“Right now, Ralph is trying to get back to being a teenager,” Spoonmore said. “And he is trying to get back to playing music, he is trying to get back to go to school.” 

The teen recently returned to a couple classes a week, Spoonmore said. But he’s not been well enough to attend school for a full day. 

He continues suffering debilitating migraines that can make it difficult for him to get out of bed, Spoonmore said. He’s also had some issues with his balance. Emotionally, he also has a long road of healing ahead.

On Monday morning, Yarl’s family members will gather to be part of the annual Memorial Day race at Loose Park called Going the Distance for Brain Injury. Spoonmore said the race is about more than Yarl. There will be other victims of gun violence with traumatic brain injuries at the race whose stories haven’t already been told across the country, like Yarl’s has.

Read more at the link in our bio. 

#KansasCity #RalphYarl #KC #LocalNews #BrainInjury

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## Tags

ralphyarl, localnews, braininjury, kc, kansascity

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