Photo: GoFundMe
The family ofCooper Robertssay that the 8-year-old boy “is in constant pain” as he remains in recovery following themass shooting at the July 4th parade in Highland Park, Ill.
The Roberts family said that Cooper remains “on a constant IV drip of antibiotics to ward off infection,” still has swelling due to his injuries and suffers from stomach pain while his body “relearns to process mainly liquid food.” The boy will start to be weaned off “heavy painkillers” in the coming days.
Cooper has been away from home for 43 days as of Tuesday and is only able to meet with his whole family once each week “for a short period of time” due to COVID safety protocols, they said.
As Cooper adjusts to a new life, he has started to openly wonder how he will spend recess when he eventually does return to school, according to the update.
“It is very hard to convince Cooper that he will be happy again,” the family said. “Of course, we are beyond grateful for his survival, and we know others weren’t as fortunate, but we want people to know his path/our path will be a very long and hard road. He’s an 8-year-old boy who feels hopeless, sad, and angry as the reality of his life is setting in.”
“Yet, every kindness makes him smile,” the Roberts family added. “We are so grateful for the gift, cards, prayers, and donations that will help carry us all through this very bleak period.”
GoFundMe
The Roberts family were at the Highland Park Fourth of July parade when agunman opened fire, killing seven people and injuring dozens more.
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Cooper’s twin brother Luke was hit with shrapnel during the shooting. He was treated and released the same day, but some of the shrapnel remains in his body, as it was too dangerous for doctors to remove it.
The boys' mother, Keely Roberts, was shot twice in the leg and foot while trying to shield the twins with her body. Keely,a superintendent of the Zion Elementary School District, has been receiving treatment at a separate hospital from her son.
Cooper Roberts.GoFundMe
So far, the GoFundMe page for the Roberts family has raised $1,884,040 out of its stated $2 million goal.
An Aug. 1 update to the fundraiser announced that Cooper had been transferred from “pediatric intensive care at the University of Chicago’s Comer Children’s Hospital,” to the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, a Chicago-based not-for-profit physical medicine and rehabilitation research hospital.
Days later, on Aug. 9, followers were told that “Cooper will remain at the AbilityLab for in-patient rehabilitation services for six to twelve weeks” before he returns to school with Luke.
Both children are “participating in private counseling and other mental health services” as they heal from the shooting, with Cooper “experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, including flashbacks that are disrupting his sleep,” according to the page.
source: people.com
