Latest news with #NakedandAfraid
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Naked and Afraid: Last One Standing' stars give News 8 an inside look at survival
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — It's all about one thing: survival. In a groundbreaking season, fourteen top survivalists will venture into the perilous Australian Outback, facing extreme conditions, deadly snakes, and fierce competition, as the most intense and surprising installment of 'Naked and Afraid: Last One Standing' debuts. Survivalists Matt Wright and Cheeny Plante sat down with News 8's Gio Battaglia this week about competing in the latest season. News 8's Gio Battaglia: What was it like coming back for the new season? Matt Wright: It was the best. You've got to be a little bit crazy just to keep coming back. That craziness keeps us from going completely insane, I guess. News 8's Gio Battaglia: How does it compare to previous seasons you've competed in? Was there anything that happened that was unexpected? Cheeny Plante: I thought it was way more in action packed. I love the environment. I love the cast that was chosen. The challenges were amazing. Weather was perfect. Everything about it was just great. Matt Wright: This one definitely was a bucket list place being Australia. I think sometimes the most dangerous, deadly places, are sometimes the best adventure Then this one, obviously, you know, that bucket list kind of got knocked down a bit as I found myself going into elimination right off the bat. And it happens, any little slip, it shows you that all the training of everything you could still mess up, it is just about how well you could stand back up. News 8's Gio Battaglia: I know when a lot of people watch the show, they think, 'Oh, I could do this.' But if they were ever presented the chance, they'd probably run scared. What keeps you guys coming back? Matt Wright: What keeps me coming back, I would say is the inspiration. It's the people, the little kid that'll see me on the street, or, you know, anyone that says they've gone through a hard part in their life and because they've watched our challenge, it helped them get through that tough thing. If they were getting through cancer, disability, whatever it might be. There's a lot of people that have messaged me through the years saying, 'Thank you for taking on such a difficult thing when I was going through chemotherapy.' or 'You were my saving grace.' If he's running around naked, doing it, I can do it and and that always keeps me coming back. It's a tug at the heartstrings, and I find myself running around naked all over the world that way. Cheeny Plante: We see the adventure and the chance to get out and get away and kind of go back in time and live how humans are supposed to live? News 8's Gio Battaglia: If this was someone's first time tuning in for the new season, talk a little bit about what they can expect and what some of the competition looks like. Matt Wright: If it's your first time tuning in, what you're going to find out here on this is that 'Naked and Afraid' is trying to survive the elements. You're just trying to like survive, and 'Last One Standing' is you now have to survive your peers in an array of different competitions while you still survive. And as tough as this is, it takes mental strength, physical strength, and it takes a little bit of strategizing, a little bit of pre planning, and being able to improvise on the spot. You'll see on this last one standing. It's gonna be some of the toughest competition yet. And it's one of the toughest places on the planet. And you will see a heck of an adventure. Cheeny Plante: They definitely picked some of the best people that have ever been on this franchise. The challenges are fast paced. There's many moving parts. It's a lot. It's very exciting. It's lots of highs, ups and downs, lows, unexpected twists and turns. You don't want to miss a single episode, because something crazy happens in every one. I promise you. News 8's Gio Battaglia: Talk a little bit about the fan favorites that came back. What was it like being in the lineup with these other fan favorites? Cheeny Plante: It's pretty cool to be right up there with Matt and Laura and Max — some of these hard, seasoned veterans. It says a lot, and it's kind of it's an honor to be amongst these people. Matt Wright: Without a doubt, it's humbling. It's humbling because I understand how tough it is to do this challenge as much as anyone it and to go out there with people who decide to go and to continue to take it on. Whether someone has has done a few challenges like Cheeney, or has done seven, eight challenges, or it's their first or second challenge, it's humbling to be out there with people who have the same mindset to want to go and run around with nothing and try to not just survive, but try to win this challenge. News 8's Gio Battaglia: I guess my last question would be just reiterating that message of why you do it, and the message that people can take away once they watch the show other than trying to see survival skills. Matt Wright: You're going to want to watch 'Last One Standing' as you'll be able to figure out your own strategy of how you might take it on and and see if it works in adapting to this environment. You'll learn a lot of different survival skills. There'll be a lot of things that we're doing out there that you may not have even thought about. You might have to do one day, but it will definitely keep you on your toes, because it's anyone's game, and because of that, it, there's really no way to ever predict what's going to happen next. Cheeny Plante: This kind of stuff takes a lot of grit, lot of hard work, lot of dedication. And I hope people see that the harder you work, the greater your reward will be in life. News 8's Gio Battaglia: Anything else that I might have glossed over that you think is important to hit home before the new season airs? Matt Wright: I'd say one thing is just while you're seeing this challenge unfold, you have to also remember that it's a challenge to survive for a month in the Australian outback. It's one thing to think, you know, individual challenges, maybe won or lost, but you have to survive a month. And to survive a month alone is not an easy task. Not everybody will make it. Not everybody can just survive out there for that month. That is a big thing to take away while you see the challenges take part. Remember that you'd have to also be able to not die while you're out there for a month in the outback. Cheeny Plante: We're under an extreme amount of pressure when we're out there. For sure, we're all human, so you're going to see a lot of mistakes. 'Naked and Afraid: Last One Standing' airs Sundays at 8 p.m. on Discovery. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Los Angeles Times
13-05-2025
- Los Angeles Times
Get away from it all with a serene backpacking trip near L.A. — it's easier than you think
When vacationing in Los Angeles, you can truly choose your own adventure. Those in search of luxury can stay in a five-star hotel, sleeping on a plush bed, soaking in a deep bath tub and lounging on a balcony with sweeping mountain views. But, among the mountains that surround L.A., a different kind of luxury is within reach. There you can sleep above the clouds, swim in deep river pools and watch the sun set over the same mountains seen from those nearby hotel balconies. And often, it's free. L.A.'s proximity to public lands offers the unique opportunity to slip away for a weekend backpacking trip with ease. In the same day, you could savor breakfast tacos in Grand Central Market and fall asleep under the stars at your campsite. In fact, in under an hour's drive, you can start a hike to one of around 20 backpacking sites in Angeles National Forest or the Santa Monica Mountains. But it can be hard to know where to start. Backpacking, unlike camping, requires you to be entirely self-reliant. If you forget your toothbrush, there's no 7-Eleven or camp store nearby to save you. It also means leaving behind certain luxuries, like a campground host to sell you firewood or the ability to pack every possible Trader Joe's snack in your car. Everything you need must fit in your pack. Not to worry, I've put together a comprehensive guide to becoming a competent — perhaps even expert — backpacker. It includes both a list of how to plan ahead to ensure you're safe and ready, a curated list of backpacking sites near L.A. organized by the difficulty of the hike to reach them and how much 'roughing it' each site requires. I chose these spots, in part, because you don't have to drive too far, they're all first come, first served, the roads to reach them are paved and trails to reach each site are generally well-maintained. They're also delightful hikes on their own, featuring wildflowers, native trees and loads of local birds and other critters. Each spot is isolated enough to make you feel like you're outside the city without being so devoid of human life that it feels like you're auditioning for the next season of 'Naked and Afraid.' Before diving in, though, let's go over how to set yourself up for success when seeking sanctuary in our local mountains. What to bring | Getting there | Beginner backpacking campsites| Intermediate backpacking campsites | Advanced backpacking campsites Unlike car camping, where you can pack every sweater, blanket and spoon you could imagine needing into your trunk, backpacking requires you to be selective. That is, unless you plan to carry 100 pounds of gear through the forest. What you will need to be self-sufficient will vary, and there are many great lists to guide you in what gear to bring, but I'll run through the absolute necessities. First, plan to bring enough calories to get you through your stay in the woods. It is generally recommended to pack between 1.5 to 2.5 pounds of food (2,500 to 4,500 calories) per day. (There's a handy calculator here to determine your body weight, level of activity and amount of calories you'll need.) For the majority of the sites listed below, you will either need to bring your water or treat your water, for which there are several options. When it comes to the amount of water to bring, it will depend on the weather, your body's preferences and the difficulty of the hike you're taking to reach your campground. Some suggest one liter of water for every two hours you'll hike, while others say it's one liter of water for every five miles you're traveling. Campfires are not allowed on federal land in the Santa Monica Mountains. In Angeles National Forest, the fire danger level dictates when and what types of fire and fuel sources are allowed. As of this spring, the risk is 'very high,' down from 'extreme,' which means burning campfires in established fire pits and using most backpacking stoves is allowed. Before heading out, make sure you register for a California campfire permit, print it and have it on your person. It is required, regardless of wildfire risk. Lastly, assume you won't have cell service in Angeles National Forest or the Santa Monica Mountains, where the below campgrounds are located. You should fill out this form and share it with a friend, spouse or family member to ensure someone knows where you're going. Also be sure to leave a copy on your vehicle's window in case a rescue team needs to look for you. It's important that you know where the closest fire or law enforcement station is to your campground — Angeles National Forest has a handful. You should consider bringing a satellite communicator. Some newer model iPhones and Android devices can connect to satellites to send text messages. It's best to test this while on a hike before planning to use it on a backpacking trip. Before heading out, check the weather and for road closures. Download your driving and hiking routes on your navigation apps. For example, Google Maps allows you to download a section of a map to use offline. You should also bring a paper map. You can buy one at an outdoors outfitter or print one from a mapping site like CalTopo. I've downloaded a map from CalTopo and then printed it on waterproof paper at a FedEx office store. Having a physical map of the area will also allow you to see and navigate nearby trails, should you want to explore beyond your campsite. At each of these beginner-level backpacking sites, you will generally find water, either from a nearby stream or, in one spot, piped in. Their campsites feature picnic tables and have restrooms (including, in one case, flushing toilets!). The hikes to reach these two trail camps are short and, as a bonus, quite pleasant. You'll likely spot wildflowers, including lupines and goldenrod, and you'll be near trails to explore more, should you choose to venture out of your haven in the woods. The Cooper Canyon Trail Camp is a backcountry group campground shaded by towering old pine trees. It has five sites and features vault toilets, campfire rings, klamath stoves and large picnic tables. And unlike most of the spots on this list, bear-proof boxes are available to store food and scented items. There is no piped water. Campers can pack in water, or filter water from the seasonal stream that flows next to the campground. Just over a mile east of the campground, this stream meets up with Little Rock Creek, which flows about 17 miles from the San Gabriel Mountains to the Mojave Desert. Cold plunges are optional but highly encouraged. The trail camp can be reached three main ways: Because it sits along the Pacific Crest Trail, the campground is also used by thru-hikers, including those taking the entire trail from Mexico to Canada. Perhaps you'll make a new friend! While at the campground, you could take a side trip to Cooper Canyon falls, or continue exploring the Pacific Crest Trail. Or, simply hang up a hammock and sway to the sound of the stream, songbirds and the gentle swoosh of the wind through the trees. Cooper Canyon has long been a beloved place to spend nights outdoors. 'If there is a moon, the nights are like a sparkling fairyland, and if no moon, one may see a million stars which those in the cities never know,' outdoorsman Will Thrall wrote of the area in 1936 in his Times column, 'Your Hike Today.' L.A. and its surrounding area have substantially more light pollution almost 90 years later, but the skies above Cooper Canyon Trail Camp will still delight any overnight visitor. Musch Trail Camp is a small but charming campground in Topanga State Park that recently reopened after being spared by the Palisades fire. The 82-acre Trippet Ranch, as it is known today, was originally called 'Rancho Las Lomas Celestiales' by its owner Cora Larimore Trippet, a founding member of the Hollywood Bowl and once a national officer in the Woman's Christian Temperance Union, according to her obituary and the Valley Relics Museum. She was married to judge Oscar A. Trippet. The property's name translates to 'Ranch of Heavenly Hills,' which still rings true today. You'll hike the moderate Musch Trail from the Trippet Ranch parking lot of Topanga State Park, feasting your eyes on those aforementioned hills. In spring, the area will be dotted with wild blooms of sticky monkey flower, canyon sunflower and golden yarrow. Unlike every other site on this list, Musch Trail Camp has flush toilets, sinks and potable water. What a luxury! The only caveat is, per a park staffer I spoke with, maintenance staff turns the water on when they know campers are coming. Before heading out, please call the Angeles District of California State Parks at (818) 880-0363 to ask them to have the water turned on. On top of having potable water, it's only a mile hike to reach this site. You'll park in the Trippet Ranch lot in Topanga State Park and pay the parking fee ($10 per night). The trailhead is in the northeast corner of the lot near the small pond. Enjoy the lush flora along the way. Upon arrival, drop your camping fee ($7 per night) in the iron ranger. While at the campground, I felt a bit like Snow White as I sat quietly observing quail, hummingbirds and moles, and heard something crunching on a leafy meal (probably a deer). Though this little nook in Topanga State Park is likely safe from evil queens. Our intermediate sites are a bit farther to reach than the beginner options, and in one case, requires you to bring your own water. They both have picnic tables and tall shade trees where you can rest with a book or journal. They also both have vault toilets and, when I visited, were even stocked with toilet paper. Both allowed me alone time with nature that's rare to find on L.A.'s more heavily trafficked urban trails. The surrounding hillsides and old trees were excellent company in themselves, and made me feel at peace. I hope you find a similar serenity on your travels! The Valley Forge Trail Camp is a refreshing refuge of mighty pines next to the pristine West Fork of the San Gabriel River. It has six group campsites with picnic tables and campfire rings, and has four well-maintained vault toilets. At night, it offers clear views of the starry sky. It has all those things. But it does not have piped water. Campers will need to either bring their own or treat the water in the river (when flowing). To reach the campground, you have the choice of two routes: The campsite's name is a reference to the Valley Forge Lodge, which operated in the area in the early 1900s. It was advertised as 'the camp with real old Western hospitality' and featured dinner dances, badminton and trout fishing. Its guest list included celebrities like actor Lon Chaney, 'the man of a thousand faces,' who in the summer of 1927 was among those lucky enough to catch trout. Even though the lodge is gone, its description in a 1937 advertisement holds true: 'Cool and delightfully wooden location' with bubbling streams. These days the trout are few, but you'll fall asleep listening to the nearby frogs and toads serenading the night from their river homes. Sulphur Springs Trail Camp sits at 5,300 feet in Angeles National Forest and features about six tent-camping sites. Just off the Pacific Crest Trail, its campsites are shaded by tall pine trees, ideal for hanging a hammock. It has vault toilets but no potable water or bear boxes. Although the South Fork of Little Rock Creek runs through the campground, the water was, to use a scientific term, kind of gross. Portions of the creek appeared clear, but other parts were full of algae and made me question whether even filtering would make the water safe to drink. There's a faucet on the eastern end of the campground where water from the creek is piped, but upon my arrival, the trough where the water came out was covered in thick green algae. A sign next to it reads 'Water not tested, Boil for 5 minutes before use.' Although there might be water available in late winter and early spring, I would not expect there to be much come summer. And even then, I will still plan to bring my own water. To reach the campground, you'll park at Three Points and cross the street to access the trailhead. There was a large tree blocking my view of the trailhead when I visited in early April, but upon squinting at my map, I found it. I hope it's cleared when you go! You'll take the Pacific Crest Trail about 3.6 miles to reach the trail camp. There are several boulders in the first mile of the hike, including one area where you can scramble about just under half a mile in. Be mindful of rattlesnakes, as it looks like the perfect spot for them to nap. The trail seems to transverse through an ecotone, a transitional zone between plant communities, switching between high desert and pine forest ecosystems. You'll pass through patches of manzanita and yucca and then forested parts with Coulter pines, all the while with a view of the valley below. When I left the trail camp late in the day, the golden sun blanketed the tree-lined mountainsides. I was reminded of just how many shades of green can be seen when one takes time to explore — to escape — into the forest. It was a five-star experience. The campsites below are the farthest hikes on the list, but both of the hikes to reach them are spectacular. One provides tremendous ocean views while the other is a stunning paved path through the dense forest. As a bonus, you can bike to the second site if bikepacking is something you're into. The only amenity both offer is a picnic table. One site does have a single vault toilet. That said, these two sites are a true escape, and you'll likely see wildlife like mule deer and hear the howls of coyotes. The La Jolla Walk-In Campsite is a small campground in dense chaparral in Point Mugu State Park in the Santa Monica Mountains. It has three small sites featuring a picnic table with a metal box attached for food and scented items. There is a seasonal stream, but it's often dry. Campers should plan to pack water in. There are no fires allowed and unfortunately dogs are not invited to join. It costs just $10 per night, a fee campers prepay at the La Jolla/Ray Miller parking area. The campground is half a mile off the Backbone Trail in the Santa Monica Mountains, offering an overnight option for those wanting to tackle more of the iconic trail than can be accomplished in a day. You can reach the campground by parking at the lot off Highway 1. Although it's possible to leave your car outside the park for a day hike, parking isn't allowed on the shoulder daily from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. You'll start at the Ray Miller Trailhead, named after California State Park's first official campground host, and take the route, also known as the Backbone Trail, about 4.6 miles before turning west onto the La Jolla Valley Fire Road, which will take you the half mile to the trail camp. The scenery along the way is stunning and diverse. For the first 2.5 miles of the hike, you'll be rewarded with better and better ocean views as you gain elevation, including two miles in when you can see a gorgeous stretch of coast line. You will transition from the Ray Miller Trail to the Overlook Fire Road — all still the Backbone Trail — about 2.6 miles in. At this point, you'll mostly lose the ocean view but be greeted by a diversity of local plants, including wildflowers like spreading phlox, and varieties of poppies, lupines and paintbrushes. This trail camp is also reachable by starting at the Chumash Trail, but given that trail's steepness, this reporter isn't advising that as an option for backpackers. (Even if it is a shorter route to reach the campground.) The Glenn Camp Campground is a 10-site forested haven next to the West Fork of the San Gabriel River. It is open year round and features picnic tables, grills and fire pits. There is no piped water. Campers will need to either bring their own or filter water from the nearby river. The restrooms are, unfortunately, closed until further notice. You'll need to relieve yourself ideally 200 feet from the river, especially when you have to — hey, let's just say it! — poop. You'll want to bring a trowel, and have a plan for toilet paper. (This how-to video is worth watching before heading out) The best practice is to pack it out. If you plan to use natural elements for wiping, make sure you know what poison ivy and other unfriendly plants look like. Not something you want to explain to the doctor at urgent care! This campground was previously open only on the weekends because of nearby construction, but that restriction has ended. To reach the campground, you can either hike or bike the seven-mile West Fork National Scenic Bikeway. You will gain just over 500 feet in elevation as you travel along this mostly paved path that runs parallel to the West Fork of the San Gabriel River. After a good rain, waterfalls run down the hillsides next to the path. Yes, it is as heavenly as it sounds. The campground sits next to the river and is shaded by old-growth trees, including at least one you could climb into and read a book. Yeah, that's freedom! In a world where our phones can quickly provide us with anything we're willing to pay a delivery fee for, backpacking can offer a necessary reset for our over-reliance on technology. Stepping away into the L.A. mountains, you'll be greeted with a sound bath from crickets and birds as the smell of pine, sage and bay laurel fills your nostrils. It is an opportunity to be present with yourself and those around you, and worry yourself only with questions of whether someone should throw another log on the fire. Deep bathtub be damned, that sense of presence is the greatest luxury of all.
New York Times
14-04-2025
- Health
- New York Times
My Secret to Low-Effort Supple Skin Is This Luxe Shower Oil
They say it's always darkest before the dawn. That was exactly the case when I found myself (and my bathroom) covered in body oil, trapped in my own personal episode of Naked and Afraid. What led me to end up in such a humbling position? Dry skin, of course. I hit the genetic lottery of having both dry and sensitive skin, so for me, a skin-care routine has always been essential. But I had never paid much attention to the skin below my neck. Partially because I dreaded the trial-and-error phase of trying new products, and partially because I absolutely hated the way moisturizer felt as it sunk into my skin. But eventually, after years of ignoring the flurry of dead skin cells that came flying off of me at the end of each winter day, the state of my skin—or, should I say, husk—became unavoidable. And so I went on a quest in search of the perfect product that would moisturize my thirsty skin without leaving me feeling greasy. I came out the other side with what would become my skin's hydration hero—L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil. L'Occitane's Almond Shower Oil was among the plethora of solutions that popped up in my original search. I was intrigued by the fact that for about $45, I could buy a 16.9-ounce 100% recycled plastic bottle for refills, which would help me cut back on plastic waste. That factor, along with the French having a reputation for seemingly effortless, radiant beauty, had me quite tempted. But L'Occitane's 8.4-ounce bottle was nearly triple the price and about a third the size of similar drugstore products, so I figured cheaper alternatives had to be at least similarly effective. I figured wrong. Beauty influencers and magazines lauded the efficacy of various moisturizing body washes and oils. Yet with each one I tried, the results were mixed at best and left my entire bathroom covered in sticky oil at worst. That moment of skidding around my bathroom was the final straw. I concluded that moisturized skin was not worth a slip and fall, so I quit my months-long search, figuring I'd just stay ashy forever. And, as everyone who's ever seen a rom-com knows, the moment you stop looking is usually when you find exactly what you're looking for. Serendipitously, while I was stocking up on my beauty essentials during a Sephora sale, I stumbled across a discount on the L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil and figured it was worth a shot. Cut to a year later, and this bottle of literal liquid gold is now one of my must-haves year-round, but especially during brutal winter weather.
Yahoo
02-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Bryant presents draft stormwater plan for flooding and infrastructure upgrades
BRYANT, Ark. – A Saline County city is planning and preparing for stormwater drainage and support. The city of Bryant issued the draft of its Master Stormwater Plan on Tuesday. City officials said the plan is open for public comment, with the first public discussion scheduled for 6 p.m. Thursday, April 3, in the Boswell Municipal Complex Conference Room at 210 SW 3rd Street in Bryant. 'Dare to push your limits,' Bryant man featured as participant on 'Naked and Afraid' Officials said the plan has four key components: Upgrading Drainage Systems: Addressing outdated infrastructure in high-risk flood areas to improve stormwater flow and reduce property damage. Green Infrastructure Initiatives: Implement sustainable practices such as permeable pavement, rain gardens, and shallow vegetated channels designed to collect and direct stormwater runoff and naturally manage runoff. Public Education and Engagement: Increasing awareness about stormwater impacts and encouraging community involvement in conservation efforts. Regulatory Compliance and Long-Term Planning: Ensuring the city adheres to state and federal stormwater regulations while planning for future growth and development. 'This plan is a vital step in ensuring Bryant remains resilient in the face of heavy rainfall,' Public Works Director Tim Fournier said. 'By investing in strategic stormwater improvements, we can protect our community, reduce flood risks, and create a more sustainable future.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Guardian
25-02-2025
- The Guardian
My truck plunged into a ravine – and for six days I was trapped, alone and afraid
Matthew Reum was driving home late on a dark, foggy night in Indiana when his headlights landed on what looked like a deer. As he swerved, his truck barrel-rolled down a ravine, into the creek beneath Interstate 94. It was 20 December 2023, and Reum, a boiler-man, was 27. He was flung between his seat and the ceiling, losing consciousness as the airbags activated and the windows shattered around him. He remembers coming to and finding he was wet, it was dark and 'not miserably cold, but it's winter,' he says, 'so it's probably 30F [-1C]'. He knew he didn't have any food or water in the car, but wasn't too concerned. Someone must have seen him swerve, he thought. Unable to free himself from the truck, he sounded the horn, but it was silent, as was the vehicle's onboard emergency call system. He searched for his phone and called out to Siri, both to no avail. He then began yelling for help. 'In my mind, I'm doing everything I'm supposed to do in a situation like that,' says Reum, a fan of TV survival shows such as Man Vs Wild and Naked and Afraid. 'There's a lot of small things I've picked up and my mind's just scrolling through them, trying to find what I need to do to survive. I probably do that for the better part of an hour.' No one came that night. Matthew Reum visits for the site of the crash for the first time. At first, no one even knew Reum was missing. Since graduating from high school in 2014, he had worked at power plants, refineries and steel mills, often taking jobs out of state and staying away for months at a time. 'Most holidays, I would either spend working, because you get great money, or I would be out travelling and enjoying life,' he says. The year before, he had gone camping by himself for Christmas. 'I've always liked being outdoors, just that sense of peace and calm.' He was off work for the holidays when he crashed, so colleagues didn't notice his absence, and friends and family knew he had planned to attend a funeral in Missouri before heading to Colorado for a ski trip. 'No one knew where I was,' he says in his book about the ordeal, Still Standing. 'No one would think to come looking.' As it dawned on him that help might not arrive imminently, or at all, he also became more aware of his injuries. 'My face is cut up, and I've got window glass all over me,' he says. 'My right hand is already starting to swell – I don't know if that's sprained or broken, I just know that it's hurting, but I'm also trying not to let it get the best of me.' The truck had landed engine first, the engine hood crumpling inwards, obstructing his view out of the windscreen. His legs were trapped, with the steering column and dashboard pushed towards his lap. 'There is stuff digging into my shin – I can't tell what, but I can wiggle my toes on my right foot,' he says. 'I notice I'm not really able to feel part of my left leg any more. I'm thinking, this is just a horrible dream. My brain is still in disbelief.' Despite his predicament, Reum focused on keeping clean and hydrated. 'I figured if I stayed on top of those, I'd be able to survive until someone found me.' On the second day, it rained. 'My truck had a sunroof, which had shattered during the wreck, but there was a sunscreen that I realised I could fold to direct the rain.' At first, he drank the rainwater by cupping it in his hands, 'and that is the worst water I have ever tasted. It's everything that's been washed off the highway: diesel and rubber from car tires, and dirt and mud and animal matter. It tasted like death.' He changed tack, using a spare pair of sweatpants as an improvised filter, then giving himself a sponge bath. On the back seat, there was a toolkit. 'I start pulling and yanking at all the bits of the dash that have broken off, tearing it off and throwing it outside my truck. If it had a nut or bolt on it, I was trying to take it apart – not just to get out of there but to give myself a little bit more room. It was also giving me a sense of accomplishment, helping my mental and emotional state just to have these little victories.' But for every triumph, there were failures that left him feeling defeated. He could hear hundreds of cars driving across the bridge above him, but wasn't able to alert them. He considered amputating his own legs, to escape the truck. 'A lot of my lowest points coincided with when I didn't have any water, which can wreak havoc on your brain. It felt like I made more progress and was more hopeful when it rained.' As the days passed, 'there was definitely a sense of panic', he says, 'but I've not had the best circumstances growing up – a lot of the time, that panic and emotion have to be put on the backburner while I figure out what to do'. In his book, he writes about how he was diagnosed with Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) as a teenager, a condition common among those who spent their childhoods in eastern bloc orphanages, as Reum did before he was adopted from Kaliningrad, Russia, when he was three. Reum was also diagnosed with ADHD as a child and seemed to be 'perpetually grounded'. When he was 13, he was sent to a strict Christian boarding school in Missouri, a place he describes as 'both a prison and a sanctuary … It was there I discovered my resilience, capacity for growth, and underlying spirit of survival'. While most of his peers only stayed at the school for a year, Reum remained for four, and had little contact with his parents. So, he says, being trapped in the wreckage of the truck 'isn't the first hard thing I've been through'. On Christmas Day, five days into his ordeal, Reum began to hallucinate. He thought the truck was surrounded by small critters he might catch and eat for sustenance. 'I decided to do something really different for the holidays,' he wrote in his journal, 'I'm camping in my truck … indefinitely.' Initially, he says, he used the journal as a way to keep track of his mental health, and as time went on, he wrote goodbyes to friends and family, along with his own obituary. By the time he was discovered, he thought, he might not be identifiable. 'I wanted people to know how hard I'd fought to get out of this horrible situation and how I'd hung on until the last possible moment,' he says in his memoir. Two local fishermen, Mario Garcia and his son-in-law Nivardo De La Torre, were out scouting for fishing holes when they happened upon the truck. This was six days after Reum swerved, and he was asleep. A makeshift curtain was pulled over the truck window, and Reum woke to see a head sticking through. 'I don't know if I'm still hallucinating or if it's real, and neither one of us can really believe what's going on or what we're seeing,' he says. De La Torre called 911 and flagged down emergency responders, who cut Reum out of the wreckage and airlifted him to Memorial hospital in South Bend. 'Some of the firefighters didn't see me making it; they thought I might die on the flight there,' says Reum, 'so I'm glad I showed them wrong.' He remained at the hospital for about three weeks. 'They ran every test on me – I had about 18 X-rays – and they were pumping me full of medication and nutrients trying to get me in a stable state.' He had shattered the bones in his right hand and torn tendons, which needed surgery. His right leg was bruised and, 'in my own efforts to get out, I had worn through the skin to the bone, and two bones were actually fractured'. Gangrene had set in in his left leg, and doctors were worried about the spread of infection. The decision was made to amputate the leg, below the knee at first. But, after it became clear the remaining tissue was not responding to treatment, a second amputation was made above the knee. Reum says he told the doctors to do what they needed to do. 'It didn't bother me because I thought I was going to have to do it myself!' During his six days in the wreck, Reum had lost 23lb (10kg), so a big part of his hospital rehab involved eating as much as he could. He had physical therapy and occupational therapy three times a day, using a walker or a wheelchair. 'I didn't have a prosthetic at that point, so it was teaching me to do life on one leg.' A prosthetic was fitted in April last year, but it's not perfect – he can't climb a ladder, and snow is challenging. He has more surgeries scheduled for this year – another revision on his hand, as well as spinal cord surgery, because something in his spine is pushing against his sciatic nerve, causing it to swell. His amputated leg will also be shortened, to better align his knees, and a titanium rod put through his femur so a new prosthetic can be connected more comfortably. There is an increased mortality rate among amputees so Reum is determined to stay as active as possible. He rarely uses a wheelchair, goes to the gym five or six times a week and has invested in a running prosthetic – he says that sunrise runs always lifted his spirits prior to the accident. He's been slower to address the impact on his mental health. 'Everybody said: 'You need to talk to a therapist, you probably have PTSD.' But I'm hard-headed, stubborn; I don't like doing things unless I want to do them.' At the start of this year though, he began therapy. Reum stayed in touch with Garcia and De La Torre, who he credits with saving his life, and is keen to share his story as he continues his recovery. 'We go through these horrific tragedies and our brains adapt to overcome and become stronger,' he says. His book is dedicated to his grandfather, and to an uncle who lost a leg to cancer, who 'taught me we are not defined by our limbs'. He has been unable to return to work since the accident, but he graduated in May with an associate of applied science (two-year) degree at Ivy Tech Community College. His experience, he says, often resonates with others who have been through significant trauma. 'That feeling of being given a new lease on life is highly prevalent for a lot of people who have been through life or death situations. I'm not immune to depression or anxiety or any of that now, but it's definitely easier for me to handle – just knowing what I've gone through, and the fact that I've made it.' Still Standing: The Seven Miracles of Matthew Reum by Erika Celeste and Matthew Reum is available now. Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.
