Ralph Yarl makes first public appearance at Memorial Day Run

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - 17-year-old Staley High School Student Ralph Yarl was up and walking early this morning, joining hundreds of other people in the 36th annual Memorial Day Run to support the Brain Injury Association of Kansas and Greater Kansas City.

It was the first such outing for Yarl since being shot in the head last month after ringing a wrong doorbell.

“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,” said Cloe Nagbe, Ralph Yarl’s mother.

It was hard to miss “Team Ralph” on the course—decked out in neon green, and although Ralph didn’t speak publicly, participants were happy to see him out and about.

Ralph continues working on his recovery. His mother says she walks with him every other day, 2-3 miles, so she wasn’t worried about the walk, she told us today was challenging for him.

“It was mostly the anxiety for him because socially, it’s still hard for him,” said Nagbe. “I’m glad he was able to overcome this. Ralph is the kind of person who will do something, not because it’s good for him, but because it’s good for other people.”

According to the Brain Injury Association, nearly 21,000 people in the Kansas City region are impacted annually by a brain injury. The annual run is a fundraiser for those recovering from brain injuries and their families.

“This family, this TBI family that no one wants to be a part of, but when it happens it’s good to know that there’s actually a whole lot of people that can relate to what you’re going through even if it’s a very unfortunate situation,” said Dr. Faith Spoonmore, Ralph’s Aunt.