Teen Who Lost Leg in Central Park Explosion Returns Home

CENTRAL PARK, NY — The teenager who lost his left leg in an explosion in Central Park has returned home to Virginia, according to his family's GoFundMe page.

Connor Golden, 19, was released from Bellevue Hospital and has been flown to his home in Fairfax, Virginia for further recovery.

Golden, a student at the University of Miami, was climbing on rocks in Central Park with two friends on July 3 when he accidentally jumped on an explosive device. He lost his lower left leg and foot in the explosion, which police are still investigating.

"The Golden family is deeply grateful to the health care professionals in New York who cared for Connor and to the many individuals who made the family’s stay in New York as comfortable as possible," according to a statement on the family's GoFundMe page dedicated to raising money for Golden's recovery. "The family is thankful, too, for the many New York residents who have been among the donors to this fund."

The page had raised $63,000 of the $75,000 goal as of July 27.

The NYPD has said they don't believe the explosion was terrorism-related, and it appeared to be a homemade device left behind by someone in the park. The police said on July 15 the chemicals that appeared in the explosive were easily obtainable at a local hardware store.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of the Golden Family