Teen Shot by Homeowner Gets Invite From a Big Star

Alicia Keys asks Missouri's Ralph Yarl to a Kansas concert; meanwhile, his family has set up a trust
By Jenn Gidman,  Newser Staff
Posted May 1, 2023 7:37 AM CDT
Alicia Keys Invites Ralph Yarl to Concert, Family Sets Up Trust
Alicia Keys arrives at the Los Angeles premiere of "Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story" on Wednesday at Regency Village Theatre.   (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

As Ralph Yarl, the Missouri 16-year-old shot last month after going to the wrong home to pick up his younger brothers, continues to recover from his injuries, he now has a fun event to look forward to. As TMZ reports, Yarl received a personal invite from Alicia Keys to attend her July concert in Kansas and have a one-on-one with her, according to the attorney for Yarl's family, Lee Merritt. Other support continues to pour in as well: Entertainment company ROC Nation has also contacted Yarl to offer any assistance he may need, and his mom has reportedly been in contact with Ahmaud Arbery's mom, who's also represented by Merritt. Meanwhile, a GoFundMe set up for Yarl has taken in nearly $3.5 million as of Monday morning, and his family says they've set up a trust for Ralph to handle all of the donations.

On Saturday, Dr. Faith Spoonmore, Yarl's aunt, shared an update on how he's been doing, per KSHB. "Ralph is getting better every day," she wrote on Instagram, showing a clip of her nephew playing with a younger child. "He has more good days vs. bad days," she continued, noting that the bad days include "intense headaches, which can sometimes be debilitating." Ralph, however, "is a fighter and often does not complain." She noted that Yarl hopes to get back to playing the bass clarinet soon. "Thank you God for saving this baby," she wrote. KCTV reports that Yarl is under the care of a trauma-informed psychologist and therapist to help him work through what happened to him. (More Ralph Yarl stories.)

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