‘Nattitude’ as unshakable as supporters

Natalie Buchoz lies on her stomach, propped up with her elbows, and it clearly isn’t easy.

“Ow!” she tells a physical therapist at the St. Jude Centers for Rehabilitation and Wellness in Brea as she is propped up on a pillow, gritting her teeth.

But two minutes later, the Huntington Beach softball player laughs like the 16-year-old she is, petting therapy dog “Dr. Mo,” scratching the golden retriever behind the ears and laughing. Therapists hint at how she can hold herself up better, but Natalie has no problem petting Mo into a comfortable stupor.

It’s a long road to recovery from the Dec. 29 skiing accident that injured her spinal cord, with trips to Brea or Carlsbad every weekday, but Natalie and her parents say they see progress every day. Mother Nancy Buchoz said her daughter’s focused and upbeat attitude will get her through the sometimes trying recovery process.

“We know it’s going to be a success story,” Nancy Buchoz said. “We know how the story ends; we just have to be patient.”

That comes from Natalie’s bubbly energy, Nancy Buchoz said — “Nattitude,” as it’s commemorated on rubber bracelets worn by friends and family. Even when clearly tired by stretching and motion routines, Natalie still talks about loving her hot pink wheelchair, or makes fun of her dad for hovering: “Get out of my life!”

That’s the athlete in her, Nancy Buchoz said.

Another source of strength is the tremendous amount of community support the family’s getting, father Tad Buchoz said. People have donated heavily to a fund to support her recovery, and there’s major public interest in the silent auction being held Saturday at her old softball league, the South Huntington Beach Girls Fastpitch Softball League, he added.

“It’s pretty amazing,” he said. “It’s allowed me as her dad to not really stress about a lot of things, like this financial stuff that can really be a burden when mounting bills start to come in.”

The community response to the auction has been astonishing, said organizer Darlene Dennison. What started out as an idea for a little raffle has ballooned into a full-scale silent auction of more than 100 baskets, many worth hundreds or thousands of dollars. Items include signed football helmets and other sports memorabilia signed by UCLA and USC greats, a custom art piece made of a half-size surfboard, bats and balls signed by the San Francisco Giants, skateboard decks, and much more.

Buchoz has made progress since she came home from the hospital on Feb. 14, she said. She can move her arms around, can scratch an itch on her nose, and, with effort, can sit on a bed and hold herself up with her hands. Soon she’ll start school again, doing an independent study program at Edison High School from home with a tutor’s help.

But every bit of assistance helps, Tad Buchoz said. The house needs a lot of changes, from wheelchair-accessible bedrooms to a gym in the garage so Natalie can work on rehabilitation at home better.

The family also appreciates how friends and neighbors pour in to visit and show how much they care, Tad Buchoz said.

“It’s every day, all day long,” he said.

For more information on Natalie Buchoz and her recovery, go to https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/nataliebuchoz.

The auction will now be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the softball fields behind the Edison Community Center, 21377 Magnolia St., Huntington Beach. See items at www.shbgfs.org/