Loren Schauers was a young worker in Montana with a routine life and ordinary plans, until a single moment in September 2019 reshaped everything. One day at work turned into a medical emergency that would test the limits of endurance, decision-making, and survival.
At just 19 years old, Schauers, who is from Great Falls, Montana, was operating a forklift and driving it across a bridge. The structure failed beneath the heavy machine, sending both the vehicle and its operator plunging roughly 50 feet to the ground. The fall left the four-ton forklift on top of him, trapping him beneath its weight and turning an ordinary workday into a fight for life.
Emergency responders arrived to find a scene defined by urgency and danger. Schauers remained conscious throughout the ordeal. He could see what was happening to his body and understand the severity of his injuries as they unfolded. His right arm was crushed, and the lower part of his body was pinned beneath the massive machine. The injuries were catastrophic, and the situation left little room for delay or uncertainty.
