Matthew Reum was found alive, but with severe injuries after being stuck for an estimated six days inside a mangled truck crashed underneath a highway overpass in northwest Indiana, authorities said.
In the latest update surrounding the 27-year-old’s condition one day after a massive rescue effort, the union Reum works with, Boilermakers Local 374, said his left leg was amputated Wednesday morning from around his mid-shin down. He is currently in intensive care, according to union spokesperson Brad Sievers.
“We were able to speak with him last night, we are thankful the Matt is alive and grateful for the men who found him,” the union said in a statement. “Matt’s strong will and toughness speak volumes through this ordeal. Matt has been a Boilermaker since 2015 originally a member of Boilermakers Local 455 in Tennessee and transferred into Boilermakers Local 374 in 2021 when he moved to the South Bend area. He is a welder among many other things and very good asset to his trade. Since I have known Matt, he has always been a positive, kind, and energetic person. We will continue to pray and support our brother as he begins his recovery. We thank God that Matt is still with us.”
Authorities said Reum was hospitalized with “severe, possibly life-threatening” injuries, with a long road to recovery ahead.
A fundraising page set up by someone described as a “good friend” of Reum’s had previously said amputation was “more than likely.”
“He has several broken bones throughout his body,” the page read. “He is alive and that’s what we care about most through this hard time he needs all the love and support he can get. He is the most kind hearted human I’ve ever met would do anything for you even if he barely knew you or at all.”
Reum’s truck crashed along Interstate 94 by the Salt Creek underpass in Porter County in an accident authorities believe happened on Dec. 20. He wasn’t found until Dec. 26, when two fishermen happened to notice the wreckage from the crash.
Indiana State Police said Reum, from Mishawaka, Indiana, was traveling westbound on the interstate when his 2016 Dodge Ram truck “left the roadway for unknown reasons.”
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“The vehicle drove into the north ditch, missing a protective guardrail,” police said in a release. “The truck then overturned into the creek, coming to a rest under the I-94 bridge. The driver was pinned inside of the vehicle and was unable to call for help.”
Police said Reum “was able to drink rain water for hydration in order to survive for such a long period of time while being exposed to the elements.”
The good Samaritans who found him, Mario Garcia and Nivardo Delatorre, told reporters Tuesday evening that the sight of a vehicle in a rugged location beneath I-94 sparked curiosity while they searching for a fishing hole in the area at around 3:45 p.m.
As the two men approached the car, Garcia noticed a man’s body heavily constricted inside the vehicle.
After shifting the car’s airbag to get a better look, he tapped the man on the shoulder. The man inside the car immediately woke up and turned his head, shocking Garcia and Delatorre who were taken back by Reum’s responsiveness. They then called for help, leading to his eventual rescue.
“The will to survive this crash was nothing short of extraordinary,” state police said.
Garcia told reporters Reum reacted with relief and gratitude upon being discovered.
“He was very happy to see us, I’ve never seen a relief like that,” Garcia said.
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Officials also said that the warmer-than-average weather of the past few days undoubtedly played to Reum’s benefit, with Tuesday’s rescue ahead of a colder stretch of weather even more imperative for his survival.
A family member of Reum was notified after his rescue, police said.
