Mishawaka man Matt Reum posts video from Memorial Hospital after truck crash

Jordan Smith, South Bend Tribune
·2 min read

SOUTH BEND — Matt Reum, the man who survived six days trapped in his crumpled truck after a crash on Interstate 94, has been upgraded to fair condition after a surgery to amputate one of his legs, he said in a video posted Thursday.

The 27-year-old Mishawaka man spoke about the extent of his injuries after his 2016 Dodge Ram truck left the road, flipped over and came to rest in a creek beneath a bridge on Dec. 20. He survived on rainwater as his yells for help went unheard, until on Dec. 26 he was found by two Indiana fishermen, Nivardo Delatorre of Portage and his father-in-law, Mario Garcia of Hobart.

A photo of Matt Reum, a 27-year-old Mishawaka man who survived six days while trapped in his truck, recovering in Memorial Hospital in South Bend.
A photo of Matt Reum, a 27-year-old Mishawaka man who survived six days while trapped in his truck, recovering in Memorial Hospital in South Bend.

One of his legs was amputated above the knee, Reum said in the video, taken eight days since he was rescued and airlifted to Memorial Hospital. He suffered a broken ankle and a broken hand. He uses a walker and a wheelchair to get around.

But he was speaking from Memorial Hospital's inpatient rehabilitation clinic, a sign that his condition continues to improve, according to Beacon Health System spokeswoman Heidi Prescott.

"I never thought that at 27 I would have to start worrying about how do I get around, and what's the best way for me to get to bed, and what's the best way for me to sit on a toilet," Reum said. "There are so many things we take for granted in life, and now I can't take it for granted."

Medical staff believe his surgery went well, Reum said, and that he can start to think about ways to reintegrate into life as he knew it before the crash. He's planning to move into an apartment that's wheelchair-friendly.

Reum worked as a boilermaker and is part of Local Union 374 in Hobart.

An online fundraiser to help pay for Reum's medical bills and his recovery had raised nearly $95,000 by Friday afternoon. More than 2,200 people have made donations.

"I've had people reach out from California, from Connecticut, to Minnesota to Washington to Fort Lauderdale — random people. Just people who have seen the news and have seen my story," Reum said. "Being able to be the beneficiary of all this ... love is — it almost breaks my heart every time I start thinking about it."

Email South Bend Tribune city reporter Jordan Smith at JTsmith@gannett.com. Follow him on X: @jordantsmith09

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Update on Mishawaka man who survived six days on rainwater after crash