Miracle teen who survived shooting spree takes most steps yet
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) – Abbie Kopf, the 14-year-old girl who survived the deadly shooting rampage in Kalamazoo took the most steps yet on Thursday morning.
“It was amazing,” said Vickie Kopf, Abbie’s mom. “She walked ninety feet the first time. She sat down to rest, and then she was ready to go again. She did 200 feet the second time around. She’s amazing.”
Vickie Kopf said her daughter was supported by a belt that was looped around her waist and being held by a therapist who walked behind her.
“All I can say is Abbie is strong and she has got the willpower to just keep on trucking, and she is showing that to all of us.”
At this point, doctors are telling Abbie’s parents that she will need to remain at Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital for ten weeks.
“Actually, it’s less than what I thought, but then again, that’s just an assessment,” explained Vickie. “It could be longer. It could be shorter. We don’t know. If I know my daughter and the way she is going, it might be shorter, and that’s all I can hope for.”
Vickie Kopf told WISH-TV’s sister station WOOD that the family had its first official meeting with doctors on Wednesday.
Abbie was shot in the head February 20 as she sat in a car in the parking lot of the Cracker Barrel restaurant in Kalamazoo.
The four women with Abbie were killed in the random shooting spree, as were a father and son who were checking out cars at a Kalamazoo dealership.
The suspect, 45-year-old Uber driver Jason Dalton, allegedly told police that his Uber app took over his body and forced him to shoot the victims.
Abbie and another survivor, 26-year-old Tiana Carruthers, are both undergoing intensive rehabilitation.
Gene and Vickie Kopf say their daughter, a student at Harper Creek Middle School student, is “improving greatly,” especially when it comes to walking and regaining strength in her upper body.
Doctors say it will take longer for Abbie to fully regain her speech.
Abbie can speak, but it’s barely a whisper.
She’s been using a white board to communicate with her mother.
Doctors have removed the stitches from Abbie’s head, but she still has a feeding tube.
Still, she has made progress on the eating front too. Abbie’s mom says she’s been able to eat apple sauce and ice chips on her own. She initially rejected the apple sauce, but that’s only because it was plain.
Abbie prefers cinnamon apple sauce.
The family continues to send thanks to everyone who is praying for Abbie’s recovery and supporting the family through prayers, thoughts and donations.
The GoFundMe page setup for Abbie had raised nearly $62,000 as of Thursday afternoon.
“We’re going to have some major expenses, and we have had some wonderful people come out and touch all of our hearts and lives. It’s been wonderful,” said Vickie.