Community Corner

Plateau Community Shows its Heart at Nachtsheim Family Benefit

It was standing room only at the Nachtsheim Family Benefit Saturday night at Enumclaw High School.

Organizers for the Nachtsheim Family Benefit report that there were more than 800 people in the Enumclaw High School commons area Saturday night, and it appeared that Martin Nachtsheim was greeting every single person by name.

Following two surgeries to repair a broken left leg -- his femur was broken in three places -- and broken back from a in January, Martin was buoyed by the energy that surrounded him and happy to say hello, talk about his accident and show a photo of his extensively damaged vehicle from it, all the while giving hugs and handshakes as well as receiving them.

"How are you doin', man?" someone asked.

Find out what's happening in Enumclawwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Gesturing contentedly to his wheelchair, "I'm moving."

Asked if he was now organizing wheelchair races, Martin said he was, but "the old people have motorized ones so it's not fair!"

Find out what's happening in Enumclawwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Between crowds of well-wishers, Martin said he probably knew between 90 to 95 percent of all the people who came to the benefit to support his family in the challenges they face this year (.)

"I'm amazed at the turnout," he said. "It's overwhelming."

Martin is a true native of Enumclaw -- born and raised. Over the years, through his volunteer work, helping at livestock shows and just being a local kid, he said he's had the opportunity to do a lot of different things for a lot of different people. "Seeing the number of people here... I'm touched."

Jerry Berryhill is one of those people. Berryhill said he's known Martin since he was little when he went to school with his son, now a shop teacher at Enumclaw High School. Martin used to come by the school and help his son out, Berryhill said. He was also a bouncer at the and once worked for Fred's Towing.

"Everybody knows him and his family," Berryhill said.

Likewise for Lucas Weigle, a high school friend. Weigle said he along with his cousins grew up with Martin though he didn't hear about Martin's accident until a family member told him.

Marveling at the turnout, Weigle said he was pleased to see the crowd. "It just shows what a small town community can do with one of their own," Weigle said. "I was born and raised here. This is how I grew up."

At the other end, Shirene Peterson doesn't really know the family. She learned their story through a friend and when asked to come help with the silent auction, there was no hesitation. "When I read about what they'd been through, I wanted to come help," she said.

And indeed, help was needed as there were 200 items up for the silent auction alone, organizer and Melissa Nachtsheim's sister-in-law Bree Metzger said.

Ron Mariotti, owner of was the live auctioneer overseeing 50 additional items there.

Metzger said there were about 400 pre-sale tickets sold before the event and "there was a huge line out the door" tonight. The family received help and support from both Enumclaw and Fife FFA chapters, the Enumclaw police and fire departments and Buckley fire.

The community support was so overwhelming that people were still bringing in items for auction tonight but Metzger said they couldn't take them as they couldn't be accounted for. However the generosity will be put to good use this summer for a family benefit concert. Details on that still to come.

As the live auction got underway, Melissa Nachtsheim reflected on this benefit effort. "I'm speechless," she said. "I don't even know what to say. It's a wonderful community and so nice to see all the support."

Unlike Martin, Melissa's energy wavered as she kept a watchful eye over baby Lincoln, resting in his pack and play. She was battling an ear and sinus infection on top of the low-dose chemo that she now receives regularly for the indefinite future. The chemo hurts her bones and joints, she said.

On a scale of 1 to 10, she said she rated herself a 3. But "I'm doing my best to stay positive and to have a good outlook."

Melissa and Martin both credit their generous friends and family with keeping them going during these tough times.

They're helping with the big benefit but they're also helping with the day-to-day, said Martin, like going to the store for milk or taking Lincoln for a little bit so he can go to the hospital.

"We're very lucky to have such an amazing family," Melissa agreed.

In a earlier Facebook post, Melissa wrote of her husband, "He is my best friend, my rock."

And much of it is Martin's attitude in the face of these challenges. "You can either think 'poor me, I'm hurting,'" he said, "or you can say 'this is what happened' and you get up and go on. ... It's taking it a day at a time with little steps."

Looking forward to his upcoming appointments, Martin said he may get to take his first little steps as early as this week, having been completely off his left leg for the last eight weeks.

And who knows what comes after that. "Little steps lead to bigger steps that lead to great leaps," he said.

Click here to follow the Nachtsheim family on Facebook. Or to donate to the family, visit their ChipIn page.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Enumclaw