Miles 4 Mike

Saturdays Miles 4 Michael 5K-walk fundraiser is designed to help brain-injury victim and lifetime Redondo Beach resident Michael Buettner continue making strides on his road to recovery.

Following a traumatic brain injury four years ago during emergency heart surgery, 47-year-old Buettner continues to improve as long as he can continue to pay for his physical therapy, said Buettners girlfriend turned full-time caregiver.

The event on Saturday that begins with pre-registration at Verandas Beach House at 401 Rosecrans Ave. in Manhattan Beach at 7:45 a.m. is being held to cover the cost of treatment Buettner needs to continue making strides in every aspect of his life.

In honor of Buettners favorite color, walkers and supporters are encouraged to show their support by wearing green on Saturday.

Recovery has been difficult and theres still a long road to go, said his girlfriend Janet Thomas. As a result of his brain being oxygen deprived during a 10-hour emergency heart surgery in 2009, Buettners balance, speech, vision and fine-motor-skills have been compromised. Hes unable to perform daily skills.

He has made leaps and bounds on his road to recovery according to Thomas. Following complications after his open-heart surgery four and a half years ago, Buettner spent 13 weeks in the hospital. He remained in intensive care units for weeks as he faced a variety of complications from anoxia (oxygen deprivation), which resulted in stroke-like effects to his entire body.

Through weeks that turned to months and months that rolled into years, Buettner has gone from not being able to swallow on his own to being able to take short unassisted walks. He can focus his energy to stand up from a sitting position and balance. The trouble comes when he tries to move too fast and cant quite find the correct places in time and space to coordinate his movements. Sometimes he launches himself off the couch too rapidly and may not be able to get his feet moving as quickly or in the right place.

He has come a long way, Thomas said.

Its the kind of routine daily tasks, things most people take for granted, said Thomas.

For more than four years, she has held his hand, and stayed by his side for every step. Buettner has progressed from not being able to hold a cup, to being able to make tea and pour himself a glass of water from a gallon-filled jug in the sink. He can now feed himself and shave himself in the mornings.

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Miles 4 Mike