“Removing all the tubes has been a huge mood booster for Cooper, to be able to eat some of his favorite foods and to start maneuvering his wheelchair better without the tubes getting in his way and causing him pain,” the boy’s family said in an update.
Cooper has started to eat “the foods he’s been craving,” his family said, including Lay’s dill pickle-flavored chips, Cheetos and Chick-fil-A.
“We are all so happy to see him eat — and will be working to get some fruits and vegetables back in the rotation!” the family said.
Cooper’s energy has started to return, the family said, “as he participates in a wheelchair race down the hallway at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab with his physical therapists.”
“Ryan was transparent, authentic, genuine and gracious in sharing insights with us about his path to recovery,” the family said.
Covid-19 restrictions limit how much time the whole family can spend with Cooper. Cooper especially misses his twin brother Luke, who he was able to spend some quality time with this week, the Roberts’ said.
Multiple members of the Roberts family were injured in the shooting; Luke was struck by shrapnel and released after treatment, a family spokesperson has previously said. His mother, Keely Roberts, “was shot in the leg and foot area” and underwent several surgeries but was discharged because she wanted to be by Cooper’s side, the spokesperson said.
As Cooper continues to recover, the family says doctors are still unsure how much of his mobility will fully return and “what limitations we will live with for his lifetime.”
“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.”
CNN’s Christina Maxouris, Adrienne Broaddus and Ashley Killough contributed to this report.
