crouse. father and son are playing together in the backyard of their new home in the small town of mulvane, kansas, just outside wichita. and then, in the blink of an eye, baby jesse makes a sudden move. before his father can reach him, he s gone. it s 7:04 p.m. when jesse s parents call 911, setting into motion a dramatic rescue effort that will soon require more than 50 police officers and firefighters. among them, firefighters dan wegner and tim daneen. probably got about ten feet from the hole, and we could hear jesse crying up out of there. and stuck our heads down in the hole and looked at him, and sure enough, we could see jesse s head and one arm above his forehead, kind of protecting his eyes. and he just cried. he just wanted out of there so bad. oh, your heart sinks. i have a couple children, and all of a sudden, my two kids popped into my head, and you just feel for the mom and dad. and you re like, okay, now i ve got to get in rescue mode here. this is serious.
you know, he had his little hands tucked up, and, of course, his feet were still tucked up underneath him. and then he did that you could tell he was kind of cold and that where their little lips quiver. daneen stabilizes the toddler with a board and passes him to anxious rescuers. i was carrying him. as i came stuck my head up out of the trench, then i was just ecstatic that we had him out of there, and the people were cheering. jesse seems to take it all in stride, from a dark hole to the glare of television and rescue lights, and not a whimper. but still, down in the ditch, firefighter tim daneen lets his emotions take hold. i mean, i was just so happy. i mean, i actually cried down in the bottom of that hole. there was so much emotions running through my body. and i climbed out, and there was just major hugs from my co-workers and people on top. jesse s rushed to the hospital and is admitted with a
myself. firefighter tim daneen is working with other rescuers in 15-minute intervals. they ve made it down 20 feet safely and are cutting across when it s tim s turn to dig again. he s finally close enough to talk to the baby boy. oh, jesse, just, i m sorry if i, you know, knocked any dirt in your face, and just give me a few more minutes, i ll have you out of here. we re all working together to get you out. hang in there, buddy. as danene talks, he inch s his way closer and closer. we knew we were really close, about three or four inches. and then we took the spade and kind of i just kind of slowly turned it, and all of a sudden, dirt fell away, and his little foot was just, like, right there. daneen is moving dirt away as fast as he can. he knows how close he is, but he won t jeopardize jesse s safety by moving too quickly. he s slowly brushing the earth away with his hands when finally, just before midnight, pay dirt. laid him straight back. he let out a really good cr
working with other rescuers in 15-minute intervals. they ve made it down 20 feet safely and are cutting across when it s tim s turn to dig again. he s finally close enough to talk to the baby boy. oh, jesse, just, i m sorry if i, you know, knocked any dirt in your face, and just give me a few more minutes, i ll have you out of here. we re all working together to get you out. hang in there, buddy. as dineen talks, he inches his way closer and closer. we knew we were really close, about three or four inches. and then we took the spade and kind of i just kind of slowly turned it, and all of a sudden, dirt fell away, and his little foot was just, like, right there. daneen is moving dirt away as fast as he can. he knows how close he is, but he won t jeopardize jesse s safety by moving too quickly. he s slowly brushing the earth away with his hands when finally, just before midnight, pay dirt. laid him straight back. he let out a really good cry. you know, he had his little hands
together in the backyard of their new home in the small town of mulvane, kansas, just outside wichita. and then, in the blink of an eye, baby jesse makes a sudden move. before his father can reach him, he s gone. it s 7:04 p.m. when jesse s parents call 911, setting into motion a dramatic rescue effort that will soon require more than 50 police officers and firefighters. among them, firefighters dan wegner and tim daneen. probably got about ten feet from the hole, and we could hear jesse crying up out of there. and stuck our heads down in the hole and looked at him, and sure enough, we could see jesse s head and one arm above his forehead, kind of protecting his eyes. and he just cried. he just wanted out of there so bad. oh, your heart sinks. i have a couple children, and all of a sudden, my two kids popped into my head, and you just feel for the mom and dad. and you re like, okay, now i ve got to get in rescue mode here. this is serious.