By Devin Nelson / ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER
Posted May 7, 2020
Posted May 7, 2020
In January 2017, Cardinal Spellman High hockey player Zach Richards lost his 3-year-old brother Cooper to GM1 gangliosidosis, an inherited disorder that progressively destroys nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord.
While Cooper’s death was devastating, Richards and his family have channeled their grief into action with a nonprofit called “Coop’s Troop Foundation.”
“About five years ago, we started the foundation to help pay for his medical bills,” said Richards, who lives in Weymouth. “Once we started the foundation, after that we started giving back to the community. We started a toy drive and donated toys and raised money. The foundation was created to help us, but to help other kids also.”