Man Reunites With Firefighter Who Saved Him After 30-Foot Fall Into Well

A Staffordshire man who feared he would die after falling into a deep well has finally met the firefighter who helped pull him to safety.

Jonno Stubbs, a 61-year-old JCB forklift truck driver from Cheadle, Staffordshire, fell about 30 feet (9 metres) into a well at his property in February. Months later, he tracked down firefighter Jack Gaskell and thanked him in person.

Stubbs said he had been working on a workshop for his motorcycles when he simply walked across his yard and the ground suddenly gave way beneath him. He fell into the well and landed in freezing water.

“I thought my time was up,” Stubbs recalled.

He suffered a broken foot, a broken back and hypothermia and remained trapped for around two hours before emergency crews were able to reach him. His brother-in-law heard his calls for help and contacted emergency services.

Because of the depth and confined space, a specialist technical rescue team from Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service was brought in to assist.

Gaskell was lowered into the well using a rope and rescue equipment. Once he reached Stubbs, he kept talking to him while securing him in a harness so the rescue team could lift him back to the surface.

Stubbs was taken to hospital and spent three weeks recovering from his injuries. He later said the recovery was extremely difficult because he had gone from being completely independent to needing help with everyday tasks.

During his recovery, three things stayed on his mind: whether his cat was safe, whether he would ever be able to ride a motorcycle again, and finding the firefighter who had rescued him.

After months of searching, Stubbs finally met Gaskell at Knutsford Fire Station on September 14.

The meeting was emotional for both men. Stubbs thanked Gaskell and the rest of the rescue team, telling them that without their help, he would not be alive today.

For Gaskell, the reunion was unusual. He said that during his 22 years in the fire service, he had never before had someone he rescued track him down and make contact after an incident.

The two men have since formed a friendship and intend to remain in contact.

Stubbs is continuing his recovery and says he does not intend to let the accident defeat him. His experience has left him with lasting memories of the rescue — and a lasting connection with the firefighter who helped bring him out of the well.

Sources:
BBC News – Cheadle man thought his ‘time was up’ after falling down a well
People – Man Falls 50 Feet Down a Well and Reunites With His Rescuer
Stoke Nub News – Man reunited with firefighter who helped save him