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