An American man who was trapped in the wreckage of his car for six days after an accident has spoken for the first time about his experience.
Monday January 22, 2024 at 3:00 PM
Matthew Reum, 27, tried to avoid an animal on a highway in Portage, Indiana, in late December and got his car stuck under a culvert. He was only discovered six days later by two men looking for a spot to fish, and was taken to hospital in a critical condition. He suffered a broken hand and leg, while his other leg had to be amputated.
(Continue reading below the video)
Nevertheless, the experience has taught Reum to view life more positively. “While I was incarcerated, I had dark thoughts, I even considered suicide. But when I got shoved into that helicopter, I thought, ‘You made it, you’re alive.’ There was a little voice in my head that told me to keep going.”
Reum said he also survived those six days because of his experience in nature. “I used my sweatpants to bring rainwater from the roof to my mouth. That was enough to stay alive.”
“My amputation will bring challenges, but I am now relearning how to do normal, everyday things: how to get in or out of bed, how to make a meal,” said Reum. “But those are new skills. I’m not angry at all.”