Decades After 'Baby Jessica' Was Rescued From A Well, She Explains Her Unusual Story
For 58 hours the whole world held their breath as the harrowing story of “Baby Jessica” unfolded. Lodged upside-down in a narrow well, the toddler became the focus of every newsroom around the world as rescuers worked around the clock to free her. And while the suspenseful saga eventually came to a happy end, the public has never fully let go of the mysteries surrounding the accident. Now, 30 years later, adult Jessica is opening up about the day she almost lost her life — and how she never fully got it back.
Jessica McClure
All it took was a split second for Jessica McClure’s life to change forever. The 18-month-old was toddling around her aunt’s backyard on October 14, 1987, when the phone rang. Her mother turned to answer, and in that moment, Jessica fell.
Into the Well
The well she tripped into was 8 inches in diameter and 22 feet below the ground. She was lodged deep into the well casing with one leg stuck high above her head. She started to cry, a sound that would symbolize one of the defining moments of the 1980s.
Media Circus
All it took was word-of-mouth for the story to spread. Paramedics, police, and firefighters swarmed the backyard. It was a gripping story happening in real time — perfect for the 6 o’clock news.
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Complicated Rescue
As the hours dragged on, it was proving itself to be a much more difficult rescue than they originally thought. Their plan to drill a shaft parallel to the well and then a right angle across to Jessica hit a snag — literally.
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