The cost of heroism: Texas man saved 2yo from abandoned well, unaware his life would ‘fall apart.’ 7 years later he killed himself

On October 14, 1987, 18-month-old Jessica McClure fell 22 feet down an abandoned well in her aunt’s backyard in Midland, Texas. For 58 hours, the nation watched as rescue workers drilled a second shaft to reach the trapped toddler. The rescue became one of the most watched news events in TV history, with Cable News Network bringing in viewers from 3.1 million households during a single 15-minute stretch.

Robert O’Donnell, a 30-year-old paramedic with the Midland Fire Department, was picked to go down into the narrow shaft because of his thin body and long arms. He pushed himself headfirst through the tight tunnel, using K-Y jelly and gentle pulling to free Jessica from where she was stuck. The rescue took over an hour, with O’Donnell pulling the toddler by her blue baby pants. When Jessica finally came out on October 16, 1987, O’Donnell became a hero overnight across America.