Friends of Highland Park shooting victim Cooper Roberts' family raise money for accessible home
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Friends with close ties to the family of 8-year-old Cooper Roberts are asking for help.
Cooper was the youngest victim of the July 4th parade massacre in Highland Park earlier this year. He was left partially paralyzed after being shot during that massacre, and he has a long road to recovery ahead.
Cooper had life-saving surgery on July 4 at Highland Park Hospital. He also stayed at the University of Chicago's Comer Children's Hospital and Shirley Ryan AbilityLab. He needed to be fully intubated and be put on a ventilator just to breathe multiple times.
Cooper also had "numerous" follow-up surgeries. He went days without eating, then had to be on a liquid diet before being able to eat again. He also began "rigorous" daily rehabilitation to address his broken vertebrae, severe spinal cord injury, and paralysis as a result of the gunshot wound.
Now, more than five months later, Cooper's mother says rehab and physical therapy are taking a toll – both physically and mentally.
Friends of the family have now created a new GoFundMe account. They are hoping they raise enough money to support a new, accessible home that is easier for Cooper to navigate.
