PORTAGE, Ind. (WGN) — A man who survived a crash along I-94 in Indiana that left him trapped inside his vehicle for nearly a week has issued his first public comments since Tuesday’s daring rescue.
Matt Reum, 27, of Mishawaka, Indiana, survived six days on rainwater before being rescued from a mangled truck, according to Indiana State Police.
In a statement issued on his behalf Wednesday, Reum sought to “thank everyone for the outpouring of support and all the well wishes, including the good Samaritans who found him, the first responders, and his caregivers at Memorial Hospital.”
The Boilermakers Local 374 union worker remains in critical condition after being airlifted to the South Bend-area hospital on Tuesday. Union representatives said part of Reum’s left leg was amputated “about mid-shin down” following the crash and rescue. He continues to recover in the ICU.
“No matter how tough things get, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, sometimes in the least expected way,” Reum said.
In addition to asking for time to process and heal, Reum also requested privacy for himself, his family, and his friends.
Indiana State Police troopers believe Reum’s vehicle veered off I-94 in Portage, Indiana, sometime on Dec. 20. The car was presumably traveling westbound near mile marker 19 when, for unknown reasons, the automobile flipped over the guardrail and rolled down the embankment.
The overturned truck would come to rest under a bridge. The curiosity of two fishermen ultimately spearheaded the rescue.
Those fishermen, Nivardo Delatorre and his father-in-law Mario Garcia, were walking near a creek along I-94 when they spotted the crashed vehicle, according to Indiana State Police.
At first, both men thought Reum was dead. After talking with him, they learned that the welder had been trapped for some time with his cell phone out of reach.
“He said to me that he had been there for a long time and that he had almost lost all hope because nobody was there,” Garcia said Tuesday night. “One more day and something would have been very different here.”
“We just called 911 and just sat by his side until we got the help,” Delatorre added.
ISP Sgt. Glen Fifield said Tuesday that it’s a “miracle” Reum survived.
“In this weather, we’ve been lucky enough here this Christmas season that our temperatures have been, as you all know, above normal,” he said.
The Boilermakers Union Local 374 issued a statement saying, in part, that members are “thankful Matt is alive and grateful for the men who found him.”
“Matt’s strong will and toughness speak volumes through this ordeal,” the union’s statement reads. “He has always been a positive, kind, and energetic person. We will continue to pray and support our brother as he begins his recovery.”
A GoFundMe to help with Reum’s medical expenses and recovery has already surpassed its $25,000 goal.
The investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing.
