Highland Park shooting survivor Cooper Roberts eating solid foods again, reunited with pet dog

HIGHLAND PARK, Ill. - The 8-year-old boy who was critically wounded in the Highland Park Fourth of July parade mass shooting continues to improve every day.

On Monday, a spokesman for the Roberts family said Cooper is once again eating solid foods — including his favorite mac-and-cheese — and he was also able to visit with his pet dog, George.

On Sunday, Cooper was transferred from the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Comer Children's Hospital to the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab — which is a rehabilitation hospital in Chicago.

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During the mass shooting, Cooper was shot in the back and the bullet exited his chest. He's now paralyzed from the waist down. His family is hopeful he will one day be able to walk again.

A medical team at Shirley Ryan met with Cooper and his family to assess his condition and determine the appropriate physical therapy he should undergo moving forward.

"The family continues to feel all the prayers being sent their way and are grateful for and humbled by the outpouring of support as they begin to process what will be needed for Cooper when he eventually is able to return home," the family spokesman said in a statement.

A fundraising effort is ongoing to help the Roberts family and Cooper recover from the horrific incident.

"I continue to believe that Cooper is a miracle. I continue to believe that Cooper is going to change the world," said Keely Roberts, mother of Cooper. "I am amazed at the enormous number of people who don’t know us, who don’t even live in this state, and who are sharing such extraordinary acts of kindness to help him and our family."