Joel Smith catching up with Seila Buth
Run OC is a local running club that has been meeting in Irvine for the past couple of years.
The club meets every Wednesday evening at 6pm at the Cypress Village Shopping Center to run (or walk) 4 miles on the Jeffrey Open Space Trail. After the run/walk, members often stick around to socialize over dinner at a nearby restaurant.
Last summer, I had the opportunity to join the group for a run and can attest to how welcoming and fun they are.
I met up with them again last week and had the chance to chat with one of their most popular members, Seila Buth.
Seila, who has been a part of Run OC for more than two years, was injured last year in a rock climbing accident that has left him paralyzed below the chest.
The incident happened when he was in Big Bear last August, near a place called “Frustration Creek.” His climbing ropes dropped, causing him to fall and suffer spinal and skull fractures. Although it was obviously a life altering event, Seila has remained positive. He has been receiving treatment at St. Jude Hospital and recently found a new place to live, in an apartment near Diamond Jamboree, that is more wheelchair-accessible.
Despite all of the changes in his life, Seila still comes to the Run OC meetups every Wednesday.
Recently, his family created a GoFundMe page to help cover Seila’s mounting medical expenses, which include physical therapy appointments and caregiver shifts.
To make a donation, visit Seila’s GoFundMe page here.
For more information about the group, visit the Run OC Instagram page here; Facebook page here; and Meetup page here.
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