Matt Reum: "Thank you for revitalizing my hope in humanity"

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- It has been eight days since South Bend resident Matt Reum was found trapped in his wrecked truck by two local fisherman and today, he gave the world an update on his physical and mental condition following the traumatic ordeal. 

"It's been a week and a day since I was rescued, and for that I am beyond happy," Reum says in a video posted to Facebook. "This last week and a half I have had and I have seen more love, more random acts of kindness ... I've seen random people donate money that, ya know, I find it hard to even think about. "

Reum says the outpouring of support from loved ones and random strangers alike has been overwhelming. 

"I've had people reach out from California, from Connecticut, from, ya know, from Minnesota to Washington, to Fort Lauderdale," Reum said. "Random people, just people who have seen the news and have seen my story ... being able to be the beneficiary of all this ... I almost feel unwarranted love ... it almost breaks my heart every time I start thinking about it..."

After thanking the public multiple times, Reum discusses his physical condition and reveals that a larger portion of his leg had to be amputated than originally thought. 

"I lost my leg. I have an above-the-knee amputation now, I've got an ankle that's broken, I've got a hand that's broken," Reum said.

"You guys have made something that would be so hard for a normal person to go through, and you have showered me with love, and you have shown me so much kindness that there is not enough ... there is no way I can ever start to repay you guys or say thank you enough, but I'm going to try. I am going to start by saying thank you right now. Thank you for all of these blessings. Thank you for revitalizing my hope in humanity, because you guys have been amazing."

It seems there is a light at the end of the tunnel for Reum who says he was moved to rehab yesterday (Jan. 3) and is recovering well.

"They believe my surgery has gone well enough, and I'm healing strong enough from that to where I can start working on getting back into society," Reum said. "I am now walker bound and I have a wheelchair, and I am able to get around which is amazing."

While in seemingly high spirits, Reum did acknowledge that his life after the hospital will look a lot different than his life before the wreck.

"I never thought that, at 27, I would have to start worrying about how do I get around ... there are so many things that we take for granted in life and now I can't take it for granted, I have to think about, 'OK, when I get in my truck, this is how I have to do it. This is how I have to get in my bed now, this is how I have to live life.' And there is so many things that you guys have taken the burden off of in terms of moving forward."

Reum says he plans to move into a more wheelchair accessible apartment once he is discharged from the hospital. 

"If I didn't have this huge support group that I have from you guys ... I never ... it would be almost impossible, but I'm looking right now, and I can do it ... I can start looking once I get discharged and I can get into an apartment within a month, and I can get new furniture and stuff that's going to help me be able to live my life better," Reum said. "I'd never be able to do it without the help of you guys and I cannot tell you how thankful I am for that."

You can find Reum's GoFundMe page here.