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20 years later, 'Baby Jessica' waits for $1M
By Betsy Blaney
Associated Press
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MIDLAND, Texas -- The 18-month old girl pulled from a backyard well two decades ago is now a young wife and mother - one waiting to collect donations given to her during her ordeal that are expected to total $1 million or more.

The anniversary of Jessica McClure's rescue passed Tuesday like almost every other day in the 21-year-old's life, with no public comment from her about the event that once captivated viewers around the world.

The young wife and mother is living quietly in this West Texas oil patch city, the same one where she fell into the backyard well.

"Jessica's just been a wonderful, wonderful mother," said her father, Chip McClure. "That's always been Jessica's dream, to be a stay-at-home mom."

In 3 1/2 years, however, her quiet existence might change when all the donations sent to her when she was a baby mature into a payment of $1 million or more.

Many of the sympathetic strangers who remained glued to television coverage until Jessica was freed from 22 feet below the ground showered her family with teddy bears, homemade gifts, cards and cash. It will remain in a trust fund until she turns 25.

Her father says Jessica is a happy and active woman, and doing "all the normal stuff" with her year-old son, Simon.

A woman who answered the phone at a listing for Jessica McClure's husband, Daniel Morales, identified herself as Jessica but told an Associated Press reporter she had reached a wrong number.

Richardo Morales, Simon's uncle, said Jessica has talked about the windfall and has plans "to put it into a fund for Simon."

In 1987, Chip and Cissy McClure were poor teenagers struggling to make ends meet during the depths of the oil bust. Cissy McClure left Jessica in her sister's yard while she went to answer the phone. Moments later, Jessica happened upon an 8-inch hole and innocently touched off a global event.

When rescuers brought her to the surface 2 1/2 days later, her head was bandaged, she was covered with dirt and bruises and her right palm was immobilized to her face. The image was ingrained in millions of people's memories and won a Pulitzer Prize for Odessa American photographer Scott Shaw.

A poll taken by The Pew Research Center for the People and the Press in 1997 that measured coverage of Princess Diana's death earlier that year found that in the previous decade, only Jessica's rescue rivaled the Paris car accident in worldwide attention.

Chip McClure remembers being "absolutely floored" by the media coverage once the family got to the hospital with Jessica. Vice President George Bush and his wife, Barbara, former Midland residents, visited. President Ronald Reagan called.

"It's a little surreal," Chip McClure said about the passage of so many years. "It's difficult to comprehend."

About three years after the TV cameras left Midland, Chip and Cissy divorced. Each has remarried.

Throughout their daughter's childhood, they worked to give her a normal life.

"At the end of the day, she went through a lot, and was loved by millions and millions," said Chip McClure, 38, who sells real estate in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Jessica has no memory of the ordeal, the loss of part of one foot, and the 15 operations that followed the 2 1/2 days she spent wedged all alone in the well, singing about Winnie the Pooh.

Jessica talks often about having another child, Chip McClure said.

"We encourage her to wait a little while," he said.

Chip McClure said that he and Jessica's mother allowed their daughter to decide whether to talk to the media once she got old enough. Jessica has spoken publicly only twice since 1987.

In June, Jessica told NBC that the ordeal "couldn't cage me then, why should it cage me now?"

In 2002, she told Ladies Home Journal that talk of her "incident" bored her and referred to the scars she bore.

"I'm proud of them," she said. "I have them because I survived."

Richardo Morales said the rescue still comes up, but with a touch of humor.

"There's times when we sit down and talk about it," he said. "We'll be saying, 'Watch out, there's a well.'"

Life didn't turn out as smoothly for others involved in the toddler's rescue.

In 1995, paramedic and rescuer Robert O'Donnell, who wriggled into the passageway and slathered a frightened Jessica in petroleum jelly before sliding her out into the bright television lights, shot and killed himself at his parents' ranch outside Midland.

His brother, Rick, has said O'Donnell's life "fell apart" because of the stress of the rescue, the attention it created and the anticlimactic return to everyday life.

In 2004, William Andrew Glasscock Jr., a former Midland police officer who helped in the rescue, was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison on charges of sexual exploitation of a child and improper storage of explosives. A year later, he was sentenced to 20 years on two state charges of sexual assault.

Meanwhile, Jessica graduated from high school in Greenwood, not far from Midland, and married Daniel Morales, 34, in early 2006.

Take a look
A rescue worker carries 18-month-old Jessica McClure in this Oct.16,1987 file photo, shortly after she was rescued from an abandoned water well in Midland,Texas. There was no fanfare in Midland Tuesday to mark the 20th anniversary when McClure was lifted to safety after being trapped for three days. The young wife and mother is living quietly in a west Texas oil patch city. In 3 1/2 years, however, her quiet existence might change when all the tributes that were sent to her while the nation waited anxiously for her safe rescue matures into a payment of $1 million or more. (AP photo/Eric Gay, file)
Jessica McClure, known to the world as "Baby Jessica," receives her high school diploma in this May 28, 2004, file photo at Greenwood High School graduation ceremonies near Midland, Texas. (AP Photo/Tim Fischer, Midland Reporter-Telegram, file)
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Reader comments on this story - 20 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

willievok wrote on Mar 14, 2008 10:09 AM:

" I'm glad she will get the money and hope her husband doesn't leave her and try to get half of her wealth. Put the money in the bank and forget about it until retirement comes along is what I would do, but we may not think the same way. "

Illinois wrote on Oct 18, 2007 9:27 AM:

" I so remember this story. I remember being 12 years old watching that TV just waiting for the rescue workers getting to get her out. I cried and cried. As far as these other jealous people are concerned GET OVER YOUR JEALOUSY !!!! You weren't the parents waiting for days to see if your child was going to make it out alive. As far as the rescue workers thats their job !!! Yes they did a very good job and are well thought of but it goes with the territory. I cant believe these people that are complaining about the money. Is that all people think about anymore? I am so sick of hearing about people saying its not fair. Well guess what life isn't fair. Get a life !!!! "

To Otis wrote on Oct 18, 2007 8:00 AM:

" Is it Steve? "

otis wrote on Oct 18, 2007 1:51 AM:

" i remember how happt i was that day the next day my daughter was born and guess what her name is "

Ok, WOW wrote on Oct 17, 2007 8:47 PM:

" Stop it you're making me feel old. I was 21. I am so happy that "Baby" Jessica is a happy healthy young woman. I remember it so well. Her parents are wonderful people considering they could have blown it all themselves. "

chubbyalaskagriz wrote on Oct 17, 2007 7:00 PM:

" What's the deal with many folks acting like this is THEIR money? I cannot think of a wiser way to have handled such a windfall! Get off your high-horses. "

Cmj to I remember wrote on Oct 17, 2007 6:40 PM:

" Well said.....agree. "

I remember. . . wrote on Oct 17, 2007 5:35 PM:

" Being a young mother with a 3 year old, 16 month old and 1 1/2 month old daughters watching almost every hour of the coverage in tears and with prayers for her and her parents. A wonderful happy ending that she cant even remember it . By the way, the money was sent by well wishers to her family at the time of the incident and they invested it for her. Pretty noble considering their financial circumstances and young age at the time. It is tragic that the man who saved her took his own life and as for the cop, well, he obviously had demons that had nothing to do with that incident. "

In 1987 wrote on Oct 17, 2007 5:21 PM:

" this news was huge. Baby Jessica became America's baby. Everywhere you'd go you'd be talking about, or listening to other people talk about, the baby in the well. Those 2 1/2 days were a very emotional time. The outcome was opposite of what people expected. The baby was alive and was in excellent condition. The issue wasn't about money then and it's not about money now. Then it was all about saving this baby. Now, after reading these posts, it seems it has become about jealousy. People gave money because they needed to "DO something" to help. What you do today affects future generations. Jessica is planning on saving this money she received to give to her son and secure his future. Be happy for her. Jessica lived and has a desire for her story to continue. Be kind with your actions and with your words. Please don't shame her or the people who chose to help her. If you're jealous of Jessica, or anyone, work on that and rid yourself of it. "

to these donations: wrote on Oct 17, 2007 4:09 PM:

" I agree with you, the money was donated by kind people who where touched by her situation. Her parents were generous enough to put the money in a trust for her until she was 25. They could have blown it all and Jessica never have gotten a dime. Good job parents........So what does LUZsuggest be done with the money? TO HOW ABOUT....If you knew anything about rescue workers you would know your statement was way off base. The money would not have lessened the stress that the workers suffered,in fact knowing the way rescue workers think it might have created more stress for them. "

Lulz wrote on Oct 17, 2007 3:21 PM:

" How does she deserve the money? Because the media blew it out of proportion? There are lots of cases of kids getting stuck in places or falling into holes and they don't get $1 million for it. She doesn't even remember it happening so this could not have been traumatic except for the parents and the rescuers. Where's the million for the family of the man that shot himself? "

HOW BOUT?? wrote on Oct 17, 2007 3:09 PM:

" HOW BOUT SHE DONATES THE MONEY TO ALL THE RESCUE TEAMS THAT HELPED GET HER OUT!?? SHE DIDN'T DO ANYTHING BESIDES STAY CRAMMED IN A WELL FOR ALL THAT TIME! GIVE IT TO THE PEOPLE WHO DESERVE IT!! "

Meg wrote on Oct 17, 2007 2:47 PM:

" Did it strike anyone else as odd that she married a man only 4 years younger than her father? "

WOW!! wrote on Oct 17, 2007 2:22 PM:

" I remember watching this on TV when I was 4 years old!! I remember asking my mom... is that going to be on again? Is that baby ok?? I was to see it again and make sure and watch! I am glad to see she is doing great and YES she deserves this money!!! "

Jon wrote on Oct 17, 2007 12:17 PM:

" Hey, I was a surrogate-test-tube-baboon-hearted-baby-caught-in-a-well too. Please mail all checks (payable in US currency only) to... "

Wow wrote on Oct 17, 2007 11:55 AM:

" 20 years already?!? I feel old now. :( "

These donations~~ wrote on Oct 17, 2007 11:12 AM:

" We're made for her. She deserves it, and it's time she gets it. "

Krusty wrote on Oct 17, 2007 10:58 AM:

" We're sending our love down a well! "

OHFRA wrote on Oct 17, 2007 9:52 AM:

" My My has it been twenty years now. My purse has, as of last count in 2007,$2.5 billion "

Luther wrote on Oct 17, 2007 9:44 AM:

" I had my head stuck in a ditch for three hours once, and I didn't get nothin'! Course, I was asleep for most of it. Anyways, at least this here girl didn't become some kind of celebrity trainwreck like that Britney Hilton. Man, that girl is something else, I tell you. "
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