Loren Schauers was working a labor job in Montana when the forklift he was driving crashed off a bridge
A young man who was involved in a life-altering accident with a forklift at just 18 years old is now sharing how his life has been unfolding ever since.
Back in September 2019, Loren Schauers was on the job as a laborer in Montana when the forklift he had been operating suddenly veered off a bridge and plunged 50 feet down.
He ended up trapped underneath the heavy machine, and doctors had to amputate everything below his waist to save his life.
The accident completely changed Loren’s world. Now 24, he often shares personal insights and life updates on social media.
He and his wife, Sabia, post videos together on their joint YouTube channel, where they talk openly about the challenges and victories that come with life after such a traumatic injury.
Who is Loren Schaeurs?
At just 18 years old, Loren was involved in a horrific accident while driving a forklift across a bridge as part of his job.
The injuries he suffered changed everything, but he’s been open about his journey. Alongside his wife, Sabia, Loren has been sharing their experiences of recovery and day-to-day life ever since.
They’ve built a community through their YouTube channel, where they answer people’s questions and talk about what it’s like to live with such a major injury.
What happened during the accident?
At the time of the incident, Loren was part of a bridge repair crew. The bridge was limited to a single lane and was being managed by traffic lights to control flow.
According to Forklift Traffic London, one of the orange water barriers had been knocked out of place. Loren had been asked to put it back where it belonged.
But as multiple cars drove past him too closely, Loren moved slightly to the edge of the bridge. That small movement caused the forklift to tip over and fall off the side.
Loren tried to unbuckle himself and escape before the fall. However, his seatbelt got tangled around his legs and he couldn’t get free in time.
The forklift ended up falling 50 feet and landed on his hips and right forearm.
To save his life, doctors performed a rare surgery known as hemicorporectomy, which involved amputating everything below his waist.
Photos taken after the accident show the forklift overturned at the bottom of a steep embankment. Loren isn’t visible in the images, as he was trapped beneath it.
He later posted on Instagram with a reflection about that moment: "If you look closely in the second photo, you can see me still pinned under the forklift. Last photo is exactly what type it was I'm sure of."
What's Loren doing now?
In an update he shared last year, Loren posted a video on YouTube marking five years since the accident. In it, he told followers: "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."
More recently, Loren and Sabia posted a new video after being off YouTube for about a month. In that clip, they talked about how they’ve been doing during the break.
Loren celebrated his birthday with a backyard barbecue, and they also showed viewers around their new home in the video.
The couple mentioned that they plan to make some adjustments to their home soon. These include installing French doors and adding bay windows to help make the house easier for Loren to get around in.