Portage, IN – In a stunning display of resilience, a Mishawaka man miraculously survived after his truck flipped over the interstate into a creek near Salt Creek overpass on I-94. The incident, which likely occurred around December 20th, was discovered only this afternoon at 3:45 p.m., as reported by the Indiana State Police.
According to authorities, the survivor, Matthew R. Reum, 27, was driving a 2016 Dodge Ram westbound on I-94 when it left the roadway under unknown circumstances. The vehicle plunged into the north ditch, narrowly missing a protective guardrail, and landed under the I-94 bridge. Reum, pinned inside the overturned truck, was unable to summon help.
The extraordinary survival story unfolded when two local fishermen, scouting for fishing holes along Salt Creek, spotted the crashed vehicle. Initially thinking Reum was lifeless, they were astonished when he responded to their touch. Their prompt call to 911 brought the Portage and Burns Harbor Fire Departments to the scene for a challenging rescue operation.
Reum was eventually extricated and airlifted to Memorial Hospital in South Bend for treatment of severe injuries. His survival, attributed to drinking rainwater while trapped, highlights the critical importance of emergency preparedness during travel.
