Cooper Roberts, boy, 8, paralyzed in Highland Park mass shooting, improving, wants to see twin Luke, dog George

Cooper Roberts, 8, is breathing on his own and has spoken his first words since being shot Monday. He asked to see his twin brother Luke and his dog George. (Provided)

One of the first things Cooper Roberts wanted was to see his twin brother Luke and his dog George.

To his family’s enormous relief, the 8-year-old boy whose spinal cord was severed by a bullet in the Highland Park Fourth of July parade mass shooting, was breathing on his own Friday and spoke his first words since Monday.