Clintonville Inbound Rotary Youth Exchange Student Nateenuch Putchantarawong (Pun Pun) of Thailand was involved in skiing accident on Saturday, Jan. 18, while on an outing with her school’s ski club.
She injured her back on a fall, and was carried off the hill on a back board by the ski patrol, and transported to the Wild Rose Hospital by ambulance. There, they took x-rays and transferred her to the Theda Clark Medical Center in Neenah.
Pun Pun’s host sister was at the ski hill with her and was with her throughout the process. Host mother Dawn Shepard and RYEO Sue Aschilman went to Neenah that evening to be with her.
It has been learned that Pun Pun has two fractures in her L3 vertebrae. The doctors said that “if you had to break your back, this was the way to do it.”
No surgery is required, but she will be in a back brace for up to three months.
Pun Pun has contacted her family in Thailand regarding her condition.