BOSTON (CBS) – Friends of a paralyzed New Hampshire high school football player are raising money for him this weekend and need some help.

Cooper Doucette was 15 years old when he broke his C-5 vertebrae and damaged his spinal cord during routine tackling drills at Nashua North in August 2010.

He had surgery at Boston Children’s Hospital and spent several months at the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, one of the top rehabilitation hospitals in the nation.

He came back to Nashua in early November and started classes shortly after Thanksgiving.

He’s due to graduate this year and is currently applying to colleges.

Doucette will turn 18 Saturday and his friends and family will celebrate by jumping into some cold water at Seabrook Beach in the fifth annual Mark Frattaroli Polar Plunge.

They’re hoping to raise $5,000.

If you’d like to contribute, visit polarplungeforsupacoop.wordpress.com