Cooper Roberts continues to recover after being paralyzed by a gunman who opened fire on Fourth of July parade-goers in Highland Park, and in the latest development, the 8-year-old boy has been taken off intravenous pain treatments, his family said Tuesday.
Cooper is also able to eat the solid foods that he's been craving — including Chick-fil-A and McDonald's, as well as an assortment of snacks highlighted by Lay’s dill pickle chips, Cheetos and Goldfish blasted with extra cheddar.
"We are all so happy to see him eat — and will be working to get some fruits and vegetables back in the rotation," his family said in a statement.
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Previously, Cooper was on a constant IV drip and with stomach pain as "his body relearns to process mainly liquid food." Now that all the tubes have been removed, the family reported that Cooper's spirits have improved.
“Removing all the tubes has been a huge mood booster for Cooper,” the family said. Cooper is “able to eat some of his favorite foods and start maneuvering his wheelchair better without the tubes getting in his way and causing him pain. You can see his energy coming back as he participates in a wheelchair race down the hallway.”
COVID protocols at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, where the boy is undergoing physical therapy, limit the how much time Cooper can spend with his whole family. The family said Cooper and his twin brother, Luke, "really miss each other," adding that it "feeds their souls to be together."
Cooper also recently received a "special visit" from former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier, who recovered from a spinal cord injury in 2017.
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"Ryan was transparent, authentic, genuine and gracious in sharing insights with us about his path to recovery," the family said. "We are so grateful for Ryan’s motivational words and great kindness in spending time with Cooper and Luke."
As Cooper makes progress, doctors are still unsure about his prognosis and the limitations he might have to live with, according to the family.
"We do know that we are infinitely grateful for his survival, and for the many kindnesses we continue to receive, including from all who are working to help Cooper and others impacted heal from this nightmare," the family said.
In an earlier update, Cooper's family celebrated that the boy had started physical therapy and planned to return to third grade in the fall.
Going to school is "a huge motivation" for Cooper, according to his family, as they said he is excited to see his friends.
At the time, the family said Cooper will likely go to school for half of the day and participate in long-term outpatient therapy for the other part of the day.
Still, Cooper was expected to remain in in-patient rehabilitation services for six-to-12 weeks.
Both Cooper and Luke are partaking in private mental health services to support them as they heal emotionally and physiologically, the family said.
More than $1.7 million has been raised for Cooper's recovery via a GoFundMe page, according to the family.
A card-drive initiative has also been launched for supporters to send get-well messages to the boy.
Sen. Julie Morrison, who is running for re-election this fall, is heading the collection of cards to show support for Cooper and his family, she said.
Cards can be sent to or dropped off at 43 Highwood Ave. in Highwood.
