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Indiana man who survived 6 days in crashed truck under bridge released from hospital
An Indiana man who survived six days trapped in his crashed pickup truck under a bridge in Portage has been released from the hospital.
SOUTH BEND, Ind. - An Indiana man who survived six days trapped in his crashed pickup truck under a bridge in Portage has been released from the hospital.
Matt Reum, 27, was rescued on Dec. 26 after two fishermen found his vehicle while scouting for fishing spots. His rescue was nothing short of a miracle.
On Wednesday, Beacon Health System shared that Reum was released from Memorial Hospital on Tuesday evening after three weeks of treatment.
"He will now enter the next phase of his healing journey at home surrounded by family and friends," Beacon Health said in a statement. "We look forward to continuing care for Matt in outpatient physical rehabilitation at Memorial."
Reum shared a message to those who have offered support and encouragement during his recovery. His statement is shared below:
"To everyone who has been following my story,
After four weeks since my wreck, and three weeks of being in the hospital, and hours and hours of physical therapy and occupational therapy, I am finally being discharged.
To the members of the community who have supported me mentally and emotionally and have been in my corner, thank you. The support you have given me has been one of the biggest factors in my healing.
To the countless nurses and assistants who have helped feed me, bathe me and have given me medication throughout the day and night, thank you.
To the skilled doctors and everyone who played a hand in my surgeries going off without a hitch, thank you.
Finally, to my social worker and the amazing physical and occupational therapists here at Memorial Hospital, I can never thank you enough for helping me realize I am not any less of a man just because I lost my leg.
Now it is time for me to take my next steps outside of the hospital where I will be tested, tried, and will grow even more. I may be a little slower getting around than I was four weeks ago, but I’m still going to be moving forward toward a life I am proud of, having been given a second chance."
How the crash happened
Reum, of Mishawaka, became trapped in his truck for six days after a crash that occurred on Dec. 20, 2023.
He was driving on I-94 when his truck moved to the right of the highway barrier, went airborne and rolled several times. His truck then moved to the left and stopped underneath a bridge.
His truck was shielded from passersby above and was partially submerged in Salt Creek.
Six days later, Reum was still trapped in his mangled truck until two fishermen who ventured to the creek to look for fishing spots found him alive.
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The rescue posed a challenge for first responders and police due to the terrain but they were successfully able to get him out of the crashed truck and to the hospital.
Since his rescue, Reum has been updating many on his condition through his social media pages on Facebook and TikTok.
He is still undergoing physical therapy but is making positive strides in his recovery.