Who was Baby Jessica?
Correct answer: Girl that fell in well
Chezikeets
God Bless that good mans soul . I remember when they pulled that little girl out alive and the whole country cheered. How sad it left that first responder with a condition that was poorly understood at that time.
suzieq007
I remember this event very well; the whole country was cheering for her. I never knew about the paramedic...that is heart breaking 😢
Caitlin Normal
Paramedics all have PTSD they aren’t paid well enough or given the correct resources to process the consistent trauma
FunnyExplorer6
wow i remember that but man poor thing about the paramedic
Player #3813778
robincbell16, It's not strange. In such a situation, you don't just start digging at the hole, lest it cave in and suffocate the victim. They had to sink a second shaft far enough from the well that the vibrations would not collapse the well. Then, they had to dig laterally by hand to the well, and enlarge the lateral shaft enough to pull the infant through without further injuring her. Considering all that, less than 60 hours is not bad. Bottom line: she was brought out alive.
penawareof
I'm kicking myself now. I knew this and went too fast and put test tube baby.
Smile4uhun
i remember this..and sad about rescuer PTSD is not a joke..
Deadpool1513
I vaguely remember this, I was about 8 or 9 at the time. It's interesting when you see movies involving some rescue or live saving event a la Armageddon and you see everyone glued to their TVs or radios & when the world is saved or rescue is successful, the whole world cheers together.
I say that b/c in all my life, I've seen many moments where this happened in real life,(everyone waiting/watching for something),and this is one of the only ones where we all got to cheer b/c the situation ended positively. Not like episodes like 9/11 or princess Diana's crash, etc.
Hey, where's Perry?
Law enforcement suffers PTSD more than we will ever know. Another incident of this was in 2002 Norfolk Nebraska bank murders. Individuals walked in without rhyme or reason according to numerous stories, interviews and reports and shot 5 people dead. I knew each of them, and thankful to this very day that my mom was asked to substitute at a different branch than that one on that day. The first officer on the scene Mark Zach committed suicide as well. One of his sons is still my friend 18 years later. PTSD affects more than the individual but also their family.
robincbell16
Player #1447946, Thanks for explaining. I did not ever know or hear about this till I read the extra info. It is such a shame though, how many heroic things happen and are either never known or forgotten.
option
I remember this .
Suzy
Seattle Reign, read the Wikipedia page on her .
Sluggo
I vividly remember this because on September 21, 1987 I was run over by a car and spent 2 months in the hospital. While in the hospital this was on the news constantly and helped me forget some pain.
Artie
Yet again, thanks for the Lifelines.
sassy
I wonder how she's doing now?
BjRaye
penawareof, me too
Nubianmom
I remember that very well. My oldest daughter at the time was not 2 yet but I saw all of it on tv
Cat Mom
Player #10160824, Proof read dear!
Cat Mom
Player Annie, you wrote this comment 4 years ago but I wish you were here now and could answer me when I ask what you are talking about?
jewels
I did not know this about her rescuer. So sad... 😞
We all watched and it was a very difficult position she was in and to safely get her out of the well. I am curious what she is doing now.
Player #120374466
Hey, where's Perry?, So sorry about your friend Mark, and to his family. It's a war out there and sad to say there are casualties from it.
Player #120374466
I didn't know about rescuer being psychology affected by this stressful incident. I would imagine the nightmares it created. Bless these ones who sacrifice much.
Jackie
i remember this. I was in Gitmo at the time.
Jessica
I grew up in Midland, TX. My family moved there when I was five. All my teachers asked me if I was baby Jessica who fell in the well. I became obsessed with this story because of it. I was barely a few days old when this happened and in CA. My aunt said she knew the family and would babysit her before this incident. This story put the little town of Midland on the map. I didn't know about the first responder that's so sad.
Right where I want to be
robincbell16, If you were alive and able to comprehend this event, you don’t forget that it happened. Maybe temporarily, but just seeing her name in the question brought back the memory. She was interviewed years later, (at least once), the first I believe, at age 16((?) Grew into a lovely sweet girl, with no memory of the event.
Jaqueline
It’s post traumatic depression 😊
Mona
Pharmaceutical treated depression. Had to look up what PTD meant. I wish the author would have made known the acronym.
Tara
Amelia, m
Nikki~Mae
OMGosh! She is the same age as my daughter! I remember this. Everyone huddled around the TV watching with bated breath. So very sorry about the paramedic though. PTSD is no joke. And you don’t recover from it. You just learn to manage it.
ragnar86
I was pregnant with my baby and glued to the TV. when she came out a baby girl, of course her name was jessika. with a K because she was the third baby girl, and all named jessika that day at the hospital!! bless that young lady, I'm soo glad she was okay! soo sad for that man. it was soo scary from the TV I remember them hearing her cry and not be able to do anything but know she was still alive.
Waldo Lydeker
Such an on-going tragedy captures the public's attention and fascination which Billy Wilder mocked in his classic film "The Big Carnival" or "Ace in the Hole", as it is sometimes known. Kirk Douglas in top form as the cynical reporter who exploited and prolonged the accident to his advantage. Must-see film. Write it down.
Kalihia
I had no idea and took a guess, but I was wrong. I was only about 3 years old when it happened and never heard of the incident.
NutsyCopnPa
How wonderful for this baby. I remember it. How tragic for the paramedic. Although, I believe that it should say PTSD instead of PTD for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, for the illness.
drjojo007
I was in junior high when this happened. We were watching the coverage off and on until she was rescued. I remember feeling so sad for her. I never knew she needed so many surgeries, nor did I know about the paramedic. Those folks did good work in saving her; It is sad he didn't get the help he needed...
Laurie
penawareof, I did too, and I totally knew it!
Betsey Shirley
I remember that all to well. The look of suffering on the parents faces were heart wrenching.
VA Jax
He had a horrible time down the well. He had to break her arm to get her out. I can not imagine. So sad he ended his life but he had a head full of horrible memories and would have been criticized for asking for help in that day’s environment. There was little known about PTSD then.
Cherry Carter
WoW were is she today?
Vongohn Munroe
I think this was on recuse 911
Orville Parker Gildock
my mother called me from Fla. (I lived in Texas) and the first thing she asked was if they ever got Jessica out.