Matthew R. Reum, an Indiana resident, was found alive on Tuesday after spending six days trapped in his truck following a crash.
The vehicle was discovered under an overpass by two fishermen, Nivardo Delatorre and Mario Garcia, who were scouting for fishing locations, as reported by ABC7.
Upon investigating the wreck, Delatorre and Garcia found Reum, initially mistaking him for deceased. "He had a jacket almost like mine, and all I seen was this part, the shoulder. The moment I touched the shoulder, he swung around. He woke up, Garcia recounted.
Reum revealed to his rescuers that he had been immobilized and stranded since the previous Wednesday, with his cellphone out of reach. Garcia, who promptly dialed 911, stated, One more day and something could have been very different here.
Following a several-hour-long extraction process, Reum was airlifted to a trauma center. He is currently in the intensive care unit at South Bend Memorial Hospital. Due to injuries from the crash, a portion of his leg had to be amputated.
A representative from Reum's union, Boilermakers Local 374, expressed gratitude for his survival and the actions of his rescuers, stating, We are thankful Matt is alive and grateful for the men who found him. Matts strong will and toughness speak volumes through this ordeal.
Police have lauded Reum's extraordinary will to survive. His friend, Mike Ortiz, described him as a cheerful, hardworking individual, and a skilled welder. Matthew is a great guy, always smiling, coming to work in a joyful mood. Hes a hard worker, too, great welder. Theres not enough good things to say about the guy, Ortiz said.
Ortiz also expressed hope for community support for Reum, who now faces life with an amputated leg. I hope everybody gets together and help him. Helps him out, he lost his leg, and I just hope that they kinda look at how our careers go, and that he may need some support at this moment, he added.
A GoFundMe campaign set up for Reum has raised over $3,000 as of Wednesday, according to ABC7.
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