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Kentuckian Floyd Collins found Crystal cave in 1917, and he was determined to explore every inch of it. For eight years, he squeezed through its passageways—until the day he got trapped.
His lantern had started to flicker, and Collins was trying to get out before he lost light. He was climbing his way up a tight passageway when he knocked a 12-kilogram (27 lb) rock loose. It came crashing down onto his ankle, pinning him in place.
For the next 17 days, rescue teams tried to save him, but nothing they tried worked. In time, they brought in miners to dig a shaft to him, believing the only hope was to make a new way out. While he waited, Collins was becoming a celebrity. Tourists from all around were coming to see his rescue, with hucksters setting up booths to sell food, drinks, and souvenirs.
The mine shaft took too long. On his 18th day in the cave, Collins succumbed to hypothermia, thirst, and hunger.
