Updated: Indiana man’s several-day ordeal ends with fishermen rescue
The following has been released and requested to be shared by Memorial Hospital of South Bend on behalf of Matt Reum.
Matt Reum wants 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 in South Bend. He remains in critical condition at this time.
He has asked for time to process everything he has endured since last Wednesday and time to rest and heal. Matt knows he has a story to tell, and when he is ready, he plans to share details of that experience. Until then, Matt has asked us to share this message while also requesting privacy during this time for himself, his family, and friends.
“No matter how tough things get, there is a light at the end of the tunnel, sometimes in the least expected way,” he said.
Portage — Two fishermen encountered a man trapped in his truck while scouting a northern Indiana creek for fishing holes Tuesday afternoon.
Police say he had been trapped there since December 20.
According to Indiana State Polie, the Porter County Dispatch Center received a 911 call reporting a crash on I-94 at the Salt Creek overpass located one mile east of the Portage exit.
Two local fishermen — Nivardo Delatorre of Portage and his father-in-law Mario Garcia of Hobart –were walking Salt Creek, scouting for fishing holes, when they spotted what appeared to be a crashed vehicle. Out of curiosity, they made their way to the vehicle and observed what they thought was a lifeless person. However, when one of the fishermen touched the occupant, he turned his head and began to speak to them.
The Good Samaritans immediately called 911 and requested help. The Portage Fire Department and Burns Harbor Fire Department both responded and, after a lengthy extrication process, were able to remove the driver from the vehicle.
During their extrication efforts, it was determined that the crash had more than likely occurred sometime around December 20.
The driver was subsequently flown by Lutheran Air to Memorial Hospital in South Bend for treatment of severe, life-threatening injuries.
Preliminary investigation shows that the driver was operating a 2016 Dodge Ram truck, and he had been traveling westbound on I-94 when it left the roadway for unknown reasons. The vehicle drove into the north ditch, missing a protective guardrail. 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, had it not been for the two individuals that were walking the creek this afternoon, this incident more than likely would have had a different outcome. There had not been any reports of a crash in this area before the fishermen found the vehicle.
The vehicle’s driver has been identified as Matthew R. Reum, 27, who currently resides in Mishawaka, Ind. A family member of Mr. Reum has been notified.
The will to survive this crash was nothing short of extraordinary, as it was also determined that Mr. Reum was able to drink rainwater for hydration in order to survive for such a long period of time while being exposed to the elements.
This crash is a reminder of the importance of always letting someone know if you are traveling, the route you are taking, and the need to always have emergency items in your vehicle.
