Rescue of Jessica McClure facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jessica McClure
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McClure in 1989
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| Born |
Jessica McClure
March 26, 1986 Midland, Texas, U.S.
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| Other names | Jessica McClure Morales |
| Known for | Falling into a well at 18 months |
| Spouse(s) |
Daniel Morales
(m. 2006) |
| Children | 2 |
Jessica McClure Morales (born March 26, 1986) became famous as "Baby Jessica" in 1987. When she was 18 months old, she fell into a well in her aunt's backyard. This happened on October 14, 1987, in Midland, Texas.
For 56 hours, rescuers worked hard to get her out. She was stuck about 22 feet (6.7 meters) down inside a narrow well pipe, which was only 8 inches (20 centimeters) wide.
Her story caught the attention of people all over the world. Later, in 1989, a TV movie called Everybody's Baby: The Rescue of Jessica McClure was made about the rescue.
The Rescue Mission
The rescue took place in Midland, Texas. Firefighters and police came up with a plan. They decided to dig a new shaft (a deep hole) next to the well where Jessica was trapped. Then, they would dig a horizontal tunnel from that shaft to reach her.
They asked local oil drillers for help, hoping to free Jessica quickly. But they soon found out that the well was surrounded by hard rock. The tools they had, like jackhammers, were not strong enough for horizontal drilling.
A mining engineer arrived to help manage the rescue. They used a new method called waterjet cutting to cut through the tough rock. This helped them make progress.
Forty-five hours after Jessica fell, the new shaft and the connecting tunnel were finally ready. During the digging, rescuers could hear Jessica singing "Winnie the Pooh."
A paramedic named Robert O'Donnell was able to carefully move into the narrow tunnel. He freed Jessica, who was stuck with one leg above her head. He then handed her to another paramedic, who carried her up to safety. From there, she was taken to a waiting ambulance.
How the Media Covered It
News channels like CNN showed the rescue efforts live. People everywhere watched and hoped for Jessica's safety.
The President at the time, Ronald Reagan, said that "Everybody in America became godmothers and godfathers of Jessica" during the rescue.
Local news stations received calls from all over the world. Everyone wanted the latest updates on Jessica's rescue.
In 1988, Jessica and her parents appeared on a TV show called Live with Regis and Kathie Lee to talk about what happened.
A photo of Jessica's rescue, taken by Scott Shaw, won a special award called the Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Photography in 1988.
In 1989, ABC made a TV movie about the story. Many people who were part of the real rescue even appeared in the movie as extras.
In 2007, USA Today newspaper listed Jessica McClure as one of "25 lives of indelible impact."
Jessica's Life After the Rescue
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After her rescue on October 16, 1987, doctors were worried about Jessica's foot. Her leg had been above her head for over 58 hours, which cut off blood flow. Doctors tried a special treatment called hyperbaric therapy to save her foot. In the end, they only had to remove one toe because of damage.
Jessica has a scar on her forehead from where her head rubbed against the well pipe. Even after 15 surgeries related to the incident, she does not remember falling into the well.
In May 2004, Jessica graduated from Greenwood High School. On January 28, 2006, she married Daniel Morales. They met at a daycare center where she worked with his sister. They have two children, a son born in 2007 and a daughter born in 2009.
When Jessica turned 25 in March 2011, she received money from a special fund. This fund was made up of donations from people all over the world. She said she would use the money for her children's college and to buy her home. Her home is less than 2 miles (3.2 km) from the well where she fell. However, she also shared that some of the money was lost during a stock market downturn in 2008.
