I must have at least 15 to 20 news
items on Benny's rescue and recovery just from the N Y Times alone.
I won't put them all up here but just wanted to tell you how big
a story this was back then. It really was touch and go even after
they got him out. He had pneumonia and stayed in the oxegen tent
for several days. Doc Calabro took measurements on him. He was10
inches at the shoulders and the well shaft was 12 in diameter.
For a week his entire family was thrown into the spotlight and
the media as it is still apt to, went overboard on it. They would
even comment on what clothes his mother was wearing to the hospital......The
great thing about it all though was Benny made it out ok .....
you just can't beat a happy ending! Here's a few more tid bits
....

All kinds of good wishes poured
in from all over. For seven days in May of 1957
Little Benny Hooper was the Big
Story...Then on May 23 he rode in style out of Mastic Beach
and back to a normal life in Manorville.
I wonder if it had a Zeidler Decal
on the trunk?
NEXT
FIELD TRIP!