Wheelchair returned to Elgin High School student

Natalie Chastain is back in the saddle.

After someone stole Natalie's wheelchair from her driveway as she was preparing to go to school, the Elgin High School senior spent much of last week waiting for someone to do the right thing.

Natalie's waiting ended on Sunday, when she entered her bedroom and found the wheelchair just as it had been.

A neighbor who lives two doors down from the Chastains walked out to retrieve his Sunday newspaper and found the wheelchair by his fence.

A friend of the family fetched the manual wheelchair, and after police examined it, Natalie's mother, Mary Chastain, left it in her daughter's room.

"I didn't call her or tell her anything," Chastain said. "When she got home, she was so surprised. It was the best expression I've seen in a long time."

The wheelchair, which Natalie needs because she has cerebral palsy, was taken on the morning of Sept. 17. After Natalie's school and local newspapers spread the word about the theft, the Chastains were flooded with offers of help.

Elgin High School set up a fund to accept donations to replace the chair. Because of Natalie's special needs (she is nonverbal and requires a special device to communicate), it could have cost about $5,000 to replace it.

The Chastains' prayers were answered on Sept. 20, when Rehab Tech of Lombard contacted them to say they would donate a new chair. The business was going to deliver the new chair on Monday - but that's no longer necessary. Elgin High School is returning donors' checks.

Mary Chastain said she's not sure what prompted the thief to return her daughter's wheelchair.

"I hope it was guilt and a lot of sleepless nights," Chastain said.

Now, Natalie can make planned visits to Southern Illinois University and the University of Iowa in mid-October without worrying about how she will get around.

"It's wonderful," Chastain said. "I never thought we'd get it back, especially after a week."