A Global News Story You Might Not Know Happened Right Here in West Texas

If you're from here you will already know about this, but if you're like so many that have only just recently moved to this area, it's likely you're familiar with the story but not the fact that it happened right here in Midland, Tx.

Most people everywhere have heard the story of Baby Jessica.  The news and following coverage of a 56 hour rescue of an 18 month old baby girl who fell into a well behind her Aunts house was broadcast live and virtually up to minute.

Jessica McClure was at the home of her aunt where both her mother and aunt were watching a handful of other children. Jessica's mother, Reba "Cissy" McClure and father Lewis "Chip" McClure were teenage parents who were caught in the throws of the 1980's oil bust here in Midland, Texas.

On the morning of October 14th, 1987, Moore was outside watching while her daughter and four other children played in the backyard when she heard the phone ring from inside.  Much like any other parent, especially back then, she didn't think twice about running inside quickly to answer the phone, leaving the children outside for what would likely only be a few minutes.  It just so happens that it was in fact a only few minutes while inside that she heard the sounds of the children screaming and she rushed outside.  If you grew up in this area and it were you in that situation you're first thought might be of a snake, but it was October after all and you're less likely to run across a rogue rattlesnake at that time of the year.

Who knows what Moore was thinking when she rushed outside but what she found was almost more than she could handle.  As the children were playing outside 18 month old Jessica McClure had managed to fall 22 feet down an abandoned well with a diameter of roughly 8 inches.  The well, according to Jessica's mother, had a big rock placed over it to keep something like this from happening so she couldn't figure out why it was no longer covered and didn't know how Jessica ended up falling in but either way she was in and Moore didn't know what to do.

Jessica's mom called the police immediately and they were there within minutes.  What follows was a story about a baby who fell down a well in west Texas that made it around the globe.  The news coverage was minute by minute coverage of the rescue and people everywhere, and I mean EVERYWHERE were glued to their television sets hoping, praying and willing the safe rescue of baby Jessica.

I'm sure you're familiar with the story so you know that 56 hours later, a cold, tired, sore, but very much alive, baby Jessica was finally pulled to safety and rushed to a local hospital where she would have to have part of one of her toes amputated but would go on to make a full recovery.

Many people have heard the story of "everybody's baby" but unless your from the area you may not realize it happened right here in Midland, Tx.

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