It was a sinkhole that took 37-year-old Jeffrey Bush’s life. The family had just gone to bed for the night when suddenly, without warning, there was a loud crash and yells for help. Jeff’s brother Jeremy rushed into the bedroom — only to see a giant hole — and no Jeff!
The 911 call came in at 11 p.m. Thursday, February 28, 2013.
“The house just fell through. The bedroom floor just collapsed, my brother-in-law’s in there — he’s underneath the house.”
When police and emergency personnel arrived on the scene in Seffner, Florida, a deputy had to pull Jeremy Bush out of the hole because the floor was still collapsing. Jeremy had been frantically trying to save his brother by jumping in the hole and digging at the rubble with a shovel.
“Everything was gone. My brother’s bed, my brother’s dresser, my brother’s TV. My brother was gone,” a tearful Jeremy said. “I couldn’t get him out. I tried so hard. I tried everything I could.”
Too Risky
A listening device was lowered into the hole to determine if there were any signs of life — but another cave-in rattled the foundations of the house and sucked up the device. At this point it was determined that it was too unsafe to attempt a rescue or body-recovery attempt. The dirt in the sinkhole was likened to quicksand and exceedingly unstable. Tragically, the earth had opened her mouth and swallowed up Jeff Bush alive. The hole eventually became about 30' wide and 100' deep.
Two neighboring homes were found to be in danger of collapse. Family members were given just 20 minutes to get their belongings and leave. Suddenly, people were solemnized to realize just how quickly lives could change — or how swiftly one could end. “Jeff laid his head down on his pillow to go to sleep — and he never got out of bed,” the home’s owner said.
An Even Bigger Sinkhole
It is hard to imagine the terror, grief and pain that the Bush family went through, let alone the agonizing frustration of Jeremy Bush’s not being able to rescue his brother, whom he loved, from this frightening sinkhole. But did you know that the Bible speaks of a horrible pit that all mankind has fallen into? It is the pit of sin — and what a dreadful pit it is — far from God, full of wicked deeds and thoughts, full of sorrow, fear, misery and hopelessness. But there is One who is willing and able to save any that call on His name. “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear” (Isaiah 59:11Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear: (Isaiah 59:1)). When we realize our dreadful condition before a holy and righteous God, we can cry out to Him in repentance and ask for forgiveness. Then, in the words of Scripture, we can joyfully say, “He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it ... and shall trust in the Lord” (Psalm 40:2-32He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. 3And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord. (Psalm 40:2‑3)).
After the Bush home was demolished, the hole was filled up with four truckloads of gravel, and the area where three homes used to stand was fenced in. Two years later, a woman walking her dog heard a loud BANG! and was startled to see this massive sinkhole reopen. Because it was fenced in, there was no loss of life, just a sad reminder of what had happened two years ago. Sinkholes are very common in the states of Florida, Texas, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Tennessee and Alabama. In Florida, the bedrock is made of limestone and other carbonate materials. When acidic rainwater seeps through the ground to the limestone underneath, it erodes the limestone, causing a cave or hole to form. When the hole becomes large enough, it cannot support the ground on top of it, which causes a cave-in. These sinkholes can be very dangerous, as they can be very large and often appear without warning, sucking whatever is above them into their depths. The Bible tells us that Satan, “as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Satan does not want us to escape “out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay,” but wants to deceive us into letting our sins drag us down into the pit of hell, from which there is no escape. Today, while the Lord’s hand is outstretched to save you and His ears are opened to the cry of the repentant sinner, receive Him as your Lord and Savior. Do not put it off for “later” — none of us is guaranteed that there will be a “tomorrow.” Come to the Lord while there is yet time!
The Story of Two Cranes shows how “just another day” can quickly become a final day.