Bill Bentley, a native Midlander, began his work day 10 years ago like any other day. Donning his cable company uniform and driving his truck to work, this Cox Communication employee had no idea that by that day's end he would be swept up in a three day ordeal he and the rest of the country would never forget.
Because of his access to crucial equipment, Bill was one of the very first volunteers at the Jessica McClure rescue 10 years ago today.
"It was about 9 or 10 in the morning when the cable company dispatcher sent me to the site to see if the cable line needed to be raised before they could dig the rescue hole, said Bill.''
"This was just a matter of being at the right place at the wrong time or the wrong place at the right time."
"I helped get equipment rounded up. They used my ropes, lights, and hard hats" Bill said.
Bill was the first down the hole and spent over three hours digging toward Jessica. "I always knew we'd get her out, it was just a question of when," he said.
"I felt glad to be there and glad to help. It was really something to be a part of the community effort. Lots of people tried to help and to volunteer - wheather they were digging or sending food or coffee."
Bill says he doesn't remember a lot of the details of the rescue, but embedded in his mind still today is the incredible efforts of hundreds of Midlanders coming together for one reason - to save a little girl's life.
And 58 hours after the 18-month-old Jessica fell 20 feet down and abandoned residential water well, she was freed, thanks to the efforts of over 400 volunteers and rescue workers.
Bill recalls this community spirit as he rode in the hereo's parade on his cable truck, "I was proud that people could come together to save the life of a child."
Today, Bill is Cox Communication's Plant Maintenance Supervisor, and although he doesn't consider himself a hero, at Cox we like to think of him that way.