Community Raises Funds To Help Westchester Child After Fall In Austria

BEDFORD, NY — A tragic accident a world away has brought a Hudson Valley community together to help a 12-year old Bedford child with his recovery.

While on vacation with his family in Austria to attend the Austria Racing Camps, Cooper Anthony suffered a high impact fall and was found unconscious with multiple injuries.

His aunt, Nikki Rosee, started a GoFundMe campaign to help cover growing medical and rehabilitation costs so that Cooper's parents can focus on their son's recovery.

According to the GoFundMe: "Cooper had suffered a badly broken arm that needed surgery, a lung contusion, kidney bleed but most severe was that the MRIs showed a traumatic brain injury called Diffused Axonal Injury, DAI. For 12 grueling days now, we have been stuck waiting for him to regain consciousness. Cooper is an athletic and loving 12 year old boy that makes friends wherever he goes. He loves sports including lacrosse, wrestling and is an expert ski racer. Unfortunately, we don’t know exactly what happened as Cooper was alone when he was found. We also don’t know how long it will take for Cooper to regain consciousness."

Rosee said that she received the news about her twin's sister's son on July 5. She was told that the 12-year-old was being airlifted to a hospital in Innsbruck. Rosee and her brother-in-law, Jason, took the next flight out to Austria the next day.

The family's friends are arranging a medical flight to bring Cooper back to New York whenever the Austrian doctors decide he is stable enough for the 9-hour journey. Once back in the U.S., Cooper will be admitted to Cornell/Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan.

Cooper’s three siblings were able to see him in the hospital before flying back to the U.S. with Rosee this past weekend.

Rosee says they can't thank friends and family enough for all the love and support. The family also expressed deep gratitude that the flight home with ambulance transfers on both ends of the trip will have a full medical team on board, in case of any emergencies.

As of Tuesday morning, the GoFundMe page raised $170,074 out of a $250,000 goal.

Contributions to the GoFundMe campaign can be made here.