In a remarkable stroke of luck, an Indiana man has been rescued after being trapped inside his pickup truck for nearly a week. The man, identified as Matt Ream, was discovered by two fishermen near a creek close to a major highway. The incident occurred after a crash that left Ream pinned in his vehicle, unable to reach his phone for help. The story of his survival is nothing short of a miracle.
Ream was found alive in his mangled truck, which was hidden under a bridge on Interstate 94, a mile east of the town of Portage. The wreckage was not visible from the road, making it even more astounding that he was eventually discovered. Luckily, Mario Garcia and his son-in-law, Nevado de la Torre, happened to be scouting fishing locations near the creek when they noticed something shiny that caught their curiosity.
Upon closer inspection, they found Ream trapped inside the vehicle. Overwhelmed with shock, Garcia recounted the moment saying, 'I went to touch it and he turned around, and that just almost killed me there. But he was alive and he was very happy to see us.' Ream later revealed to authorities that he had been unable to call for help as he couldn't reach his cell phone. He had been trapped since the previous Wednesday, desperately yelling and screaming for help, with only the sound of the water from the nearby creek to keep him company.
The rescue operation proved to be challenging as authorities had to close the westbound lanes of I-94 to free Ream from the wreckage. Eventually, crews were able to extricate him from the vehicle and transport him to a nearby hospital via helicopter. Ream sustained several broken bones and leg injuries that may require surgery, according to his labor union.
The cause of the crash is still unknown, but initial investigations suggest that Ream veered off the road while driving westbound, traveling along the grass shoulder before crashing into the creek. The car is believed to have rolled over multiple times before coming to a rest partially submerged under the bridge.
Authorities expressed their astonishment at the rescue, as the location of the wreckage made it highly unlikely for anyone to have noticed Ream's predicament. Sheriff's Deputy Kyle Oxley commented, 'I don't see any way somebody could have seen him. It was just very fortunate that we've seen through the cracks of the woods, the shiny of the wreck and curiosity that took us over there.'
In addition to the fortuitous discovery, Ream benefited from relatively mild weather conditions. Since December 21st, temperatures in Porter County ranged from a high of 59 degrees to a low of 29 degrees, providing him with a somewhat favorable environment for survival.
As news of Ream's rescue spread, a GoFundMe page was set up to help cover the costs of his recovery. His labor union arranged for necessary medical treatment, as he remains in critical condition at a hospital in South Bend.
The heartwarming conclusion to this harrowing ordeal showcases the power of being in the right place at the right time. The two fishermen, Mario Garcia and Nevado de la Torre, became unexpected heroes, delivering hope and rescue to a man on the verge of losing all hope. As Garcia reflected, 'For me, it was the first time going there. So, it was just we were put there for a reason.' Thankfully, fate intervened, bringing about a happy ending for Matt Ream and his rescuers.
