The young boy who was left paralyzed from the waist down in the Highland Park mass shooting is suffering from motor skills and memory loss.
8-year-old Cooper Roberts was left fighting for his life after a bullet severed his spine in the Highland Park massacre during the Fourth of July parade.
Following the shooting, it was revealed that Cooper was left paralyzed from the waist down and that he will likely never walk again.
His family has now also spoken out and shared a tragic update about the boy’s condition.
As they revealed in a GoFundMe update, the boy began suffering from cognitive loss on top of memory loss and issues with communications. The 8-year-old is also losing his motor skills despite his rigorous therapy.
“There are still many unknowns about Cooper’s condition and future. This week, we have learned some unfortunate news,” the post reads.
“The Shirley Ryan AbilityLab team is seeing some patterns of behavior that may indicate some cognitive loss. Cooper wasn’t well enough or talking enough to notice these issues earlier while in the hospital.
“Therapists are seeing short term memory loss, issues with word recovery, and loss of acuity around fine motor skills. They are doing a comprehensive neurological and psychological evaluation this week and working on new therapies.”
The update also revealed that the family is thinking about long-term solutions and requirements that will be needed once Cooper is ready to leave Chicago’s Shirley Ryan AbilityLab and return home.
“The AbilityLab team is also working with us to think through the long-term needs for Cooper once he is able to go home – the assistive technologies he needs to help him with daily living and the house features necessary for a child who will grow with a pediatric spinal cord injury.
It’s overwhelming to consider,” the family added.
The update comes shortly after Cooper’s family claimed the boy was in constant pain because of internal injuries he had suffered in the shooting.
They also said the boy is feeling “hopeless, sad, and angry as the reality of his life is setting in.”
Our thoughts are with Cooper and his family.
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