A man who was rescued late last month after being trapped for six days beneath a highway overpass in Porter County, Indiana has shared an encouraging update as his condition improves.
27-year-old Matt Reum said he is overwhelmed with how much support he has received in the wake of his rescue, expressing his gratitude in a Facebook video.
"I have had people reach out from California, Connecticut, Minnesota, to Washington, to Fort Lauderdale. Random people, just people who have seen my story and being able to be the beneficiary of all of this," Reum said.
Reum received an above-knee amputation on one leg while recovering from a broken leg and broken hand as well.
"You have shown me so much kindness. There's no way I can ever start to repay you guys or say thank you enough," Reum said.
Reum had driven his pickup truck off I-94 near Portage, eventually barreling down a ravine and underneath the bridge where he was trapped for six days.
Drinking rainwater to survive, a pair of fishermen found Reum on Dec. 26 after approaching the mangled pickup truck out of curiosity due to it being far from any roads.
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Reum said the response to his story and an online fundraiser for him have restored his faith in humanity.
"There are so many things you guys have taken the burden off of in terms of moving forward. I'm planning on getting a new apartment that's wheelchair-friendly so that I can get around better," Reum said.
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According to Memorial Hospital in South Bend, Reum has been upgraded to fair condition and was transferred to the hospital's inpatient rehabilitation.
"I'm now walker-bound with a wheelchair and I'm able to get around, which is amazing," Reum said. "There are so many things we take for granted in life. Now I can't take it for granted."
