Miracle in Indiana: Trapped Man Found Alive After 6 Days in Wrecked Truck Under Bridge

Accident – Death – Obituary News : **Comment on this story**

Mario Garcia and his son-in-law Nivardo Delatorre were looking for a way to pass the time on a lazy day after Christmas in Indiana. Little did they know that their decision to scout for fishing holes would lead them to a miraculous discovery.

As they approached a shallow creek beneath an interstate bridge, a light in the distance caught their attention. To their surprise, they found a man trapped inside a mangled truck. The men believed the motorist to be dead until they touched his shoulder and he woke up, revealing visible injuries and stating that he couldn’t feel his extremities.

The driver, Matthew R. Reum, 27, of Mishawaka, Indiana, appeared visibly relieved to be found. He was flown by a medical helicopter to Memorial Hospital in South Bend, Indiana, for treatment. Reum suffered severe, potentially life-threatening injuries, including a broken hand.

According to Sergeant Glen Fifield, a spokesperson for the Indiana State Police, Reum’s survival was nothing short of a miracle. The temperatures in Porter County, where the accident occurred, had recently dropped to 29 degrees, and another night stranded in the cold would have likely been fatal.

The accident happened when Reum lost control of his 2016 Dodge Ram truck on Interstate 94. The vehicle missed a guardrail, went airborne, and rolled several times before coming to rest under the bridge. Reum was pinned inside the vehicle and was unable to call for help.

For six days, Reum remained trapped in the wreckage. He survived by drinking rainwater to stay hydrated, displaying an extraordinary will to live. Reum later revealed that he had tried yelling and screaming for help, but nobody heard him.

The area where the accident occurred was out of view from the interstate highway, making it difficult for anyone to spot the wrecked truck. However, Garcia and Delatorre’s curiosity led them to the scene. They had been looking for potential fishing holes and stumbled upon the mangled vehicle at Salt Creek, a few feet deep and about 30 feet wide.

Garcia and Delatorre immediately called for help and stayed by Reum’s side until law enforcement arrived. The men described Reum as shaken but composed, repeatedly expressing his gratitude for being found. Dispatchers received a report about the crash at 3:45 p.m. on Tuesday, and first responders were able to extricate Reum from the vehicle with the help of the Portage Fire Department and the Burns Harbor Fire Department.

Authorities praised Garcia and Delatorre for their actions, stating that without them, the outcome of the incident would have been very different. Both men expressed their relief and gratitude for being able to find and help Reum.

In conclusion, this story is a testament to the power of curiosity and the compassion of strangers. Mario Garcia and Nivardo Delatorre’s decision to explore fishing holes led them to discover Matthew R. Reum, who had been trapped inside a wrecked truck for six days. Reum’s survival in the harsh December weather is being hailed as a miracle, and his rescue is a reminder of the importance of keeping an eye out for those in need..