Baby Jessica

Just the Gist

In 1987, there was a news event that brought the entire world together. People did not stop watching their TVs for days - the First Lady of the United States even postponed surgery until she knew the outcome. Eighteen-month-old Jessica McClure had fallen down an old well and was wedged almost ten metres underground for 56 hours. Every news channel that existed had cameras in that tiny backyard in Texas, while the world watched - live - and waited in suspense to see if she’d come out alive.

We give you Just The Gist, but if you want more, there’s this:

The articles Rosie mentioned:

LA Times in 1995:

https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1995-05-24-mn-5474-story

New York Times Magazine in 1995:

https://www.nytimes.com/1995/07/23/magazine/death-on-the-cnn-curve.html

Good summary:

www.history.com/.amp/this-day-in-history/baby-jessica-rescued-from-a-well-as-the-world-watches

Jessica on the 30 year anniversary:

https://www.time.com/4980689/baby-jessica-30th-anniversary

https://www.people.com/human-interest/baby-jessica-on-the-30-year-anniversary-of-her-rescue-from-a-well-her-life-as-a-wife-and-mom

Trailer for the TV movie ‘Everybody’s Baby: The Rescue Of Jessica McClure’:

https://youtu.be/JIPAPTKr0xc

Footage of Baby Jessica being rescued:

https://youtu.be/afSChsWNcbQ

The podcast about Amazon that Jacob recommended: https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/radiolab/articles/brown-box

Skip right to the story: approx 27:04

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Chapters

1. Breakin' Nooz (00:00:00)

2. Baby Jessica (00:27:05)