Man cut in half by forklift reflects on how it changed his life five years on from accident
Loren Schauers was 18 years old when he was involved in a horrific accident which changed his life forever.
He was working as a labourer in Montana in September 2019 when the forklift he'd been behind the wheel of veered off a bridge and plummeted 50ft to the ground.
The 18-year-old ended up pinned beneath the forklift and gave permission for everything below his waist to be amputated as it was a choice between that and dying.
He was 'conscious throughout everything' during the horrific accident where it crushed his pelvis and right arm, meaning he was well aware of the forklift falling on him and crushing his body and the agonising '10, 15 minute' wait while his co-workers tried to get the forklift off him.
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In the end he had to have three of his limbs amputated.
Since then Loren has spoken out several times about the impact being cut in half by a forklift has had on his life, including finding it difficult to make friends and discovering that many of his former friends weren't all that willing to stick with him.
In a YouTube channel he runs with his wife Sabia, Loren has provided a number of updates on his life and let people see what he gets up to.
His most recent video reflected on it being five years since he was cut in half by the forklift, and in it he explained that his pain was becoming more manageable.
Loren explained that the rehab techniques he'd been taught by doctors had helped 'erase the phantom pain' over the years.
He said: "My pain is definitely more under control now, my health is a little wild and out of control."
Continuing his update, he told his viewers: "Five years later pain's under control, life is finally managed in a way that we can control it now.
"I don't know how to explain it, it's not as epic, things aren't like bombs dropping on us any more. We kind of know what to expect with certain things, and can kind of tell what's gonna happen.
"Me and Sabia are doing great. We don't get out much. We went to Lollapalooza in Chicago and had a great time obviously."
Loren said that when at home 'she's reading her books, I'm watching my TV shows' and that 'we're just existing'.
Sabia joined him for much of the rest of the episode as they answered a plethora of popular questions on their life together.
Joe Harker