Member-only story
The Dramatic Rescue of 18-Month-Old ‘Baby Jessica’ After She Fell Down A Well
Jessica McClure, a Texas toddler, was rescued from a backyard well after being trapped for 58 hours.
To learn the full story, read my article on All That’s Interesting.
In October 1987, 18-month-old Jessica McClure fell into a well in her aunt’s Midland, Texas backyard. The nation held its breath, glued to their TVs for 58 hours as rescuers worked tirelessly to free her.
She had been playing in the yard when her mom, Cissy, briefly turned away to answer a phone call. When she turned back, the little girl was gone.
Volunteers, oil workers, and emergency responders swiftly dug a parallel shaft in the ground to try to reach Jessica. Rescuers pumped oxygen into the well and tried to comfort the crying toddler by singing nursery rhymes to her.
Her story was only the second time, following the Challenger space shuttle explosion, that the nation was so captivated they watched around the clock in real-time.
Where is Baby Jessica today?
