A Long Island woman, celebrating her 47th birthday, faced a harrowing ordeal when she fell into a deep hole that unexpectedly opened up in her backyard. The incident occurred on Thursday, September 17, and was made all the more alarming when she was trapped for approximately 30 minutes before being rescued by her neighbours and emergency services.
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Danielle Tammone had been enjoying what she thought was an ordinary morning in her garden when the ground beneath her began to shift. “It was strange; the earth just started moving or sinking,” Tammone recounted in an interview with News 12. “Then, before I knew it, I was down in an 8-foot hole surrounded by water and chunks of sod.” This sudden drop was both shocking and frightening, particularly as the reality of her precarious situation began to sink in.
As she found herself in the dark depths of the hole, Tammone became increasingly anxious. Concerned about her ability to breathe, she feared the worst. “People suffocate and they die, so I thought that at first,” she stated, highlighting the rapid shift from an ordinary day to a life-threatening situation. In a desperate bid for rescue, she began to scream for help, hoping that someone would hear her cries.
Despite her efforts to climb out using her legs, Tammone found her escape hindered by the deteriorating state of the ground around her. “I was trying to push myself up, but the material kept crumbling,” she explained, illustrating the desperation of her attempt to escape. Her loyal dog, Daisy, stayed close by, providing some comfort during those agonising moments.
Fortunately, Tammone’s cries did not go unnoticed. Two of her neighbours, Christine Chanowsky and another neighbour named Maggie, heard the distress calls coming from Tammone’s garden. Initially unsure of the source, they eventually traced the sounds to the ground. “At first, we thought she was in the shed or something. We just weren’t looking at the ground,” Chanowsky later shared with CBS News.
Upon discovering the source of the cries, the women swiftly contacted emergency services. Police officers arrived shortly thereafter, bringing a ladder from a nearby garage to assist in Tammone’s rescue. Her dramatic extraction was captured on video, reflecting the weight of relief as she made her way back to safety.
Witnessing her friend emerge from the hole was an emotionally charged moment for Chanowsky. “I was tearing up,” she revealed. “As soon as she got out of the hole, I just gave her the biggest hug.” The support Tammone received from her neighbours and the emergency responders proved invaluable in a moment of crisis.
Initially, Tammone reported that she did not suffer serious injuries, attributing her survival to the cushioning effect of the sod and water at the bottom of the hole. “I feel fine because it was soft,” she noted, expressing gratitude that she did not land on something hard like stone. However, as time went on, she acknowledged dealing with some discomfort, including whiplash and pulled muscles.
In a heartwarming turn, Tammone shared that the emergency responders marked her birthday with what she described as a thoughtful gesture. “They even sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to me after the incident, which was really nice,” she recalled, expressing appreciation for the kindness and support she received during a frightening experience.
Despite the unnerving episode, Tammone emerged with a newfound sense of gratitude and relief. As she recuperates, the event serves as a stark reminder of the unpredictability of life, but also of the importance of community support in distressing situations.