A warehouse worker who miraculously survived being cut in half by a forklift has spoken out about the brutal reality of his life more than a decade later — and his confession is devastating. The accident, which split his body in two at the waist, left him with life-altering injuries and a story so shocking doctors once said his survival was “a medical impossibility.”
The man, identified as 52-year-old Loren Schauers from Montana, was just 19 when the forklift he was driving veered off a bridge and plunged 50 feet down. In an instant, the six-ton vehicle crushed and severed the lower half of his body. “I saw it coming,” Loren recalled to a UK outlet. “I knew there was no way I was walking away from that.”
Rescuers who arrived on the scene were stunned he was still alive. Loren was airlifted to a trauma center where surgeons performed a hemicorporectomy — a rare procedure involving the removal of everything below the waist. Doctors gave him a 1% chance of surviving the night, according to local coverage.
“I was supposed to die that day. Every single doctor told me so.” @PopBase
Miraculously, Loren pulled through. But surviving the accident was only the beginning of a grueling journey. In the years since, he has endured more than 20 surgeries, constant pain, and the psychological weight of living with half a body. “The physical part is brutal, yes,” he told a reporter. “But the mental part — that’s something nobody can prepare you for.”
After the forklift landed on him, Loren was pinned beneath the massive machine for over 15 minutes. By the time paramedics freed him, he had lost so much blood that his heart nearly stopped twice. Surgeons were forced to amputate both legs, his pelvis, and lower spine to save his life. “When I woke up and realized what had happened, I felt like I was in someone else’s body,” he told an interviewer.
Loren’s story went viral years later after he began sharing candid updates about his daily life on TikTok and YouTube with his wife Sabia. Millions have watched the couple speak openly about love, disability, and resilience. But his latest confession has drawn particular attention — not for its strength, but for its raw pain.
“People call me inspiring. But they don’t see the nights I break down.” @PopCrave
Loren revealed that despite the positive messages he receives online, he struggles with feelings of isolation and grief for the life he lost. “I’m not some superhero,” he said in a recent live stream. “I miss being able to walk. I miss running. I miss holding my wife without her worrying she’ll hurt me.”
Sabia, who was just a friend when the accident happened, became Loren’s full-time caregiver and eventually his wife. The couple has faced online cruelty from trolls questioning their relationship. “People say disgusting things to us,” she said in a recent interview with a news outlet. “But we love each other. That’s what matters.”
Doctors say Loren’s survival is nothing short of miraculous. Hemicorporectomy patients almost never live more than a few years, but Loren has defied every expectation. “This case is one in a million,” one trauma surgeon explained to investigators. “Most people wouldn’t have made it to the hospital alive.”
“Loren is living proof of what the human body can endure.” @MedicalXpress
Yet behind the inspirational headlines, Loren says his reality is more complicated. He deals with nerve pain every single day, often describing it as “lightning under the skin.” He requires around-the-clock medical care, specialized equipment, and assistance with almost every daily task. “Some mornings I wake up and wonder why I’m still here,” he admitted in a clip that quickly spread across X.
Financially, the accident has also been devastating. His medical bills have climbed into the millions, forcing the couple to rely on crowdfunding campaigns and donations from strangers. “People assume we’re okay because we have followers,” Sabia said, speaking to supporters online. “But this is survival. Every month is a battle.”
Despite the darkness, Loren says he finds strength in moments of normalcy. Playing video games, spending time with his wife, and making people laugh online have helped him keep going. “The thing that keeps me alive is knowing that my story matters,” he said during a recent Q&A on Instagram.
“I don’t want to be remembered as the guy who got cut in half. I want to be remembered as me.” @THR
Loren also opened up about the toll of living under public scrutiny. “Everyone says they want to hear my story,” he shared. “But nobody talks about what happens after the story fades. The cameras go away. The pain doesn’t.”
Sabia tearfully told followers she sometimes worries about his mental health. “There are days where he doesn’t talk. Days where the pain is so bad he just stares at the ceiling,” she said in a clip shared on TikTok. “But even then, he keeps fighting.”
Millions have rallied around the couple online, leaving thousands of supportive comments on their posts. Hashtags like #LorenSchauers and #Survivor have surged as people share his words. But Loren’s confession remains painfully clear: surviving doesn’t mean thriving.
“He’s alive. But he carries more pain than anyone should.” @VanityFair
“People tell me I’m strong,” Loren said softly at the end of the livestream. “But strength isn’t a choice when dying isn’t an option.” His words have left thousands shaken, forcing many to reflect on how survival stories often hide the unending battle that comes after the cameras turn away.
