The fact that Gerald moved a half TON of rock is just awe inspiring. The strength and willpower to do that is just insurmountable. I wouldn't doubt that he would have chipped away the whole damn cave to save his friend.

@Artorias Of The Abyss another person commented this wich really puts into context how incredible it was for him to move 500kg in a single session

"Two things people also gotta realize: The Turnaround Room isn't really a room. It's a widening of the tunnel that collapses to the 9 inch gap. It's just big enough to get your bearings, decide which way you want to go in, or turn back. It's not a 10 foot tall room that you can stretch your legs in preparation to go into the squeeze.

The other thing: The squeeze didn't allow you to change directions. The video makes it look like you can go in head-first, turn around at the 10 foot drop, then go down feet first. You have to decide if you want to go in head first or feet first. It's then 20 feet to the drop. Floyd went in feet first to clear it out then got stuck. His brother went in head first to clean out the rubble, then had to climb up the 10 foot drop BACKWARDS! "

now i am imagining you in bed on your phone looking at a comment like this and most likely dropping your phone at times because your grip gets too loose to hold it  yet this dude did 500kg of rubble with a tin can and his bare hands upside down in a narrow hole that didint even allow for him to turn

@Jess H another person commented this wich really puts into context how incredible it was for him to move 500kg in a single session

"Two things people also gotta realize: The Turnaround Room isn't really a room. It's a widening of the tunnel that collapses to the 9 inch gap. It's just big enough to get your bearings, decide which way you want to go in, or turn back. It's not a 10 foot tall room that you can stretch your legs in preparation to go into the squeeze.

The other thing: The squeeze didn't allow you to change directions. The video makes it look like you can go in head-first, turn around at the 10 foot drop, then go down feet first. You have to decide if you want to go in head first or feet first. It's then 20 feet to the drop. Floyd went in feet first to clear it out then got stuck. His brother went in head first to clean out the rubble, then had to climb up the 10 foot drop BACKWARDS! "

and he only had a tin can in any other conditions hed prolly have to move 5tons within 3 hours with no tools to even compare to what he did here

@Joe another person commented this wich really puts into context how incredible it was for him to move 500kg in a single session

"Two things people also gotta realize: The Turnaround Room isn't really a room. It's a widening of the tunnel that collapses to the 9 inch gap. It's just big enough to get your bearings, decide which way you want to go in, or turn back. It's not a 10 foot tall room that you can stretch your legs in preparation to go into the squeeze.

The other thing: The squeeze didn't allow you to change directions. The video makes it look like you can go in head-first, turn around at the 10 foot drop, then go down feet first. You have to decide if you want to go in head first or feet first. It's then 20 feet to the drop. Floyd went in feet first to clear it out then got stuck. His brother went in head first to clean out the rubble, then had to climb up the 10 foot drop BACKWARDS! "

now if we were to adjust this to an open space with alot of room to move then it would also be adjusted for you to have to atleast move 4 tons within 3 hours with nothing but your hands thats how impressive that is even just being upside down for an hour is hard enough now doing that while shoveling 500kg of gravel with a tin can and then having to pull yourself up for a 10ft drop is just mind boggling to me yet some people say "500kg is actually not that hard i could do that"

Some of The people in this comment is literally the local on the story

@dandy dasyt You are the biggest excuse for a human ive ever seen

@Joe that would be easy compared to pulling it out of a 10 foot drop by hand obviously

@Joe Cool. Now do it squeezed in a cave, upside down, using only your hands.

@dandy dasyt don't think he's"mid" but whatever ya say

@Steven Schnepp You still crying, kiddo.

@Steven Schnepp ah yes, simply gravel and rubble, which has no relevance, significance or connection to rocks, whatsoever. Man took out half a tonne of gravel and rubble? nah, that ain't a whole ass rock fam, he's mid.

@Artorias Of The Abyss Yeah, we get it. You've never done a day of work in your life, and sneer at others' accomplishments because it makes you feel better about having none of your own.

@Artorias Of The Abyss ok, and he did it with a fucking syrup can.

I mean, considering that he was doing it in a super awkward position, yeah, but a half ton is pretty much nothing if you're moving it piecemeal. Takes like 15min to move that much brick. Having to rope it out in a bucket is probably what made it take so long

It was gravel and rubble lol not one single half ton rock.

he did it while being upside down. His strength was incredible.

If you've ever shoveled out a truck bed that was full of gravel, then you've also moved at least half a ton of rocks. Lol


The feeling of terror I get from watching this comes from me knowing this is totally a problem I would get myself into if I were a cave explorer. The pull to go further into the unknown is so intense.


Your usage of rdr2s soundtrack is so good, you picked the perfect music for how tense this story gets

The Halo: ODST soundtrack bits were also intensely appropriate. "We are dropping into Hell, troopers! Time to grow a pair."

Damn right brother. I'm surprised no one else has said anything about it. It makes it more dramatic


I can’t even describe how well the Little Nightmares music fits with some of the scenes. Make the eeriness much more effective. Great choice on that.


Sad as it is that he did not ultimately survive, it is inspiring to see the sheer amount of effort that went into attempting to save him from the cave.

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Floyd tricking that soldier to come down just to die with him just so he wouldn't be lonely is probably the most haunting part of this story, seriously ominous.

@Jofe_co but tricking a person to suffer that same fate is very cruel. However i do understand that he was not in a normal state

@Rex Incognito <b>how about you fucking look look it up for yourself then?</b>

@Rex Incognito *how about you fucking look look it up for yourself then?*

@C Porter <b>*insert another laughing track*</b>

@C Porter **insert another laughing track**

He wasn't a soldier, nor a worker of Kyroc, though that's jsut one of the many things IH gets entirely wrong.

@MrArbaras no, it's actually worse. Floyd survived the cave in. His misery would've ended sooner if the cave in killed him, but it didn't. Man had to suffer a few more days after that happened.

@Casey Dopp No, it was from a private company, the national guard arrived later.

@CODA Got curious enough to look up this up.  Dear God, how can anyone go caving after stuff like this?  Jeez.

@Casey Dopp Contrary to popular belief, the Kentucky Rock Asphalt Company that Henry Carmichael worked for was not, in fact, part of the national guard. Shocking, I know.

A drowning person will always try to drag somebody down with him.

Yeah I was rooting for his death at that point

@Vihara2 There is a worse one. There was one called John Johnes, who went in the nutty putty cave and became stuck upside down for 72 hours. Rescuiers kept trying to free him, but they only made it worse and he descended deeper, until he finally died being upside down for more than 72 hours. This is way worse.

@Sam Han maybe dont read the damn comments next time like a normal person?

Not to die with him but not to be alone.

@carb har harb car Floyd died of exposure, at the point that the cave started collapsing Floyd was a goner and certainly wouldn't have survived. The other guy would've probably still been alive, but no way in hell someone would risk that just to console a dead man.

funny thing is, if he HAD gotten stuck down there, and he happened to be have food/water with him, floyd might have survived. more likely that they both would have died, but its very possible that both of them could have gotten out of it

@CODENAME surveyor of the national guard so yes the army

@StrikeWarlock completely agree with you, his actions are completely normal considering the conditions

@Jofe_co this, he was like a dying man in a hospital bed. People are social, pack creatures at heart, he was definitely the loner type, but this was an extreme that would leave him feeling very, very alone and scared, no wonder he wanted anyone to just stay with him, to distract him from the torment of his own thoughts.

This is one of the more terrifying ways to die depending on your personal mental state, i struggle to think of worse ways frankly.

Misery loves company

As dark as what he tried to do was, I genuinely cannot blame him.

I don't think it was as much tricking him to die with him but instead that he felt his time was short and didn't want to die alone.

Wasn't a soldier, was one of the surveyors for the cave that worked for the quarry guy.

When you go 5 days without seeing sunlight, breathing fresh air, having a normal conversation, all the while pain is coursing through your body and being powerless to move does things to your mind, that part terrified me as well


Great video! So much more entertaining than just storytelling with a couple of photos. I was sad to see there aren't anymore of  historic videos on this channel.


Can you imagine being stuck in a cave and as you try to dig your way out you find skeletons and one has a note that reads, 'This cave is for the brave to live out their days and now you are stuck with them in their grave.'


Can we just appreciate the fact that a god damn journalist braved what many seasoned cavers couldn't?


What saddens me is that he died about the same time his light went out. When a living thing has hope, their body will trudge on long after it should have given out. I believe when that light burnt out, so did his hope. And so he simply gave up. Perhaps if he knew they were digging for him he would have survived, although still unlikely.


At one point the cave started feeling less like a cave and more like a some cosmic horror entity. Awesome storytelling.

@cauliflower mystery flesh pit national park is the name of that i believe

It’s the scariest type of cosmic horror entity: one that tasted human flesh and <i>liked it.</i>

It’s the scariest type of cosmic horror entity: one that tasted human flesh and _liked it._

I interpret the Rouge rock that falls onto Floyd's leg as a tooth, clamping down and keeping its prey in place as it squirms and tries to escape, yet all in vain anyways.

@Ultima Power I mean atleast they’re real.

@down town i just found this out yesterday after searching it up- that's one hell of a coincidence

it’s straight up exactly like the buried from tma

The allure of the cave formation beyond the Squeeze, the grifters taking advantage of the situation while destabilizing the cave, the dentist using Collins as a morbid tourist attraction; it's almost as if the cave was the Sin of Greed made manifest.

Fr, especially when it comes to cave stories like this. Just when things start to look bright, something happens that completely squanders it. This story is the prime example because Floyd had so many chances to get out alive, but problems just keep leading into another. Rest in peace.

I'd say the way the cave is formed has a very sinister feel to it. The way it slowly tightens but then opens up again would give you a sense of reprieve, encouraging you to go into the next tight chute. And as soon as it looks too tight to continue, it opens up to another open space, covered in the most beautiful crystals and stones imaginable, just a short crawl away. You've already bled, bruised and come this far, just for the sake of it, so why stop now.

It's a literal honey-trap and radiates Made in Abyss vibes.

@Matacrat Woah! Somehow did not expect encounter anyone from Baron Door on this video. A surprise to be sure but a welcome one.

Never thought I'd hate a geological formation, but man, thanks to this video, that cave gets me going.

very bad cave ):<

The shape of the entrance even looks like a mouth, with teeth and everything

@cauliflower just so happens that Wendigoon - the guy used as the face of Floyd - made a video about that very same flesh hole national park

oh this reminded me of some video i watched a while ago, about some entity that's a flesh hole and a national park i believe? some analogue horror/scp-esque thing, pretty interesting!!


I'd heard the basics of this event before, but this is masterful storytelling. Learning about the existence of the Kentucky Cave Wars was worth a watch all by itself.


brilliant storytelling. this shit got me in tears. you are a wonderful filmmaker and i hope to see your craft continue to develop


I can't help but picture what torture that must of been to be trapped down in that cave for 2 weeks. Pinned freezing unable to move or see, never knowing if the next time you see a face will be your last. The scariest part is they were able to tell he was still breathing when the light went out. Maybe by then he was unconscious, i hope so because if not what thoughts go through your head when that light burns out and your left alone again in the dark. Did they give up and leave me, is this the end? What a terrifying way to die


As someone with claustrophobia, it took several tries to get through this, but I'm glad I did


His brother is a real one. Immediately travels 10 hours to the cave, enters the cave still in city clothes, squeezes through a small ass hole no one else wanted to go through and starts digging through a large amount of gravel bare handed for 8 whole ass hours and after all that he raises money to get his body out the cave to properly bury him.

@Mason Schmidgall then why are u in the comments—

@Landon Hagan
Lol, sorry bro. My intent was a quick little story
Not a confessional, Geezzz...🤐

@Landon Hagan

 I was with mine for sure.
My little bro got jumped by an older kid when he was around 13?
I (foolishly) snatched up the first guy with long hair and jean jacket
I'm 16 / 17? And I hurt that guy (really hurt) 18 / 19?
Someone that much bigger, would dare do that shit?
But I never asked him if he had anything to do with it.
We are in court and his mother was crying upset
She says, "what did my boy ever do to you"
I (RIGHTFULLY SO) sank within myself in shame, like the POS I was

The only bond I felt more was my first child.

There were a few times, but two notable times.

I Came very, very close to unraveling everything

And releasing a psychopath, that I was unaware I owned.
That's not me being clever with my choice of words.
That same kid, Is having his first one in 2 months.
I warned him that a protective mass murderer
Might be born on the same day as your child.

Exactly. The brother and Gerald were amazing

Exactly. The brother and Gerald were amazing

If it were me trapped. I'd rather be shot to death. A quick death would have been infinitely more preferable than to the slow agonizing fate we see unfold here.

He didn't travel ten hours, historian just made that one up for some reason.....

@BLB Entertainment didn't know your so-called god was so into suicide

@BLB Entertainment
Truth is most of them would have gotten stuck in there and they’d also need rescue. It doesnt help anyone to have that happen.
I do agree though that they werent looking to save floyd, they were looking for glory

@nick watt He stole them because he had a vision that you would die horribly by being crushed under the wheels of a garbage truck because the inattentive driver didn't check his mirrors - or you may survive and spend the rest of your life depending on your brother for everything as you sit essentially lifeless in a wheelchair.

@E Van That's just how <b>family</b> is, not some dusty 2,000 year old cult

@E Van That's just how *family* is, not some dusty 2,000 year old cult

@BLB Entertainment please don't make judgements based on an inaccurate video. It's not that people didn't want to go in the hole, they physically could not go through. To show how small you needed to be, take note that Miller was 5'5 and 117 pounds.

@J Wow, this comment is so oblivious and pampered it's sickening. Miners, just to take one job, lived extremely short and hard lives. You do what you got to survive, that doesn't make you, "selfish" it makes a living, get that through your thick skull. Not everyone has a hot bed and three meals a day, best to remember that. There was a time where no one cried about dying.

damnit i just spoiled this for myself by reading your comment.

@Kyle Abbott But they weren't above pretending like they had the stones to do it. Very easy to talk about something, far harder to actually DO something, <br>Just like social media today..Some things never change.

@Kyle Abbott But they weren't above pretending like they had the stones to do it. Very easy to talk about something, far harder to actually DO something,
Just like social media today..Some things never change.

He did more in that short amount of time, then the others did in over 100 hours.

Spelunker's are fucking stupid. Fight me 😂

Spelunker's are fucking stupid. Fight me 😂

Not to mention saves him from getting beat up by 4 other landowners

@E Van <br>I disagree. Every single one of those people who tried to play hero but ultimately backed out likely believed in God, as most people did at the time. Courage and selflessness seems to be something that few people truly posses, regardless of religious beliefs or lack thereof. It does not take a higher power to truly care about those that are helpless and to have the bravery and selfless determination to try to help.

@E Van
I disagree. Every single one of those people who tried to play hero but ultimately backed out likely believed in God, as most people did at the time. Courage and selflessness seems to be something that few people truly posses, regardless of religious beliefs or lack thereof. It does not take a higher power to truly care about those that are helpless and to have the bravery and selfless determination to try to help.

I'd like to think most brothers would do that. If it was my little brother, you'd have to drag me kicking and screaming out of that godforsaken pit.

My brother stole every bicycle I ever bought

My brother stole every bicycle I ever bought

i think he actually undressed into his underwear before enterring (read somewhere in a more detailed article)

@Lewtable yea agree, definitely wise to stay out after the integrity of the cave began to fade. Just as he was blinded of the prospect of getting though,  those good people helping mightve killed themselves blinded by saving him, especially since the operation become so large.

@BLB Entertainment Tbh it's for the better that they didn't go, though. The risk of becoming trapped themselves aside, the fact that it was gradually reaching the point of collapse would help indicate that the situation may not have been salvageable from the beginning. They needed to dig him out from the start, with hindsight available to us it's fairly easy to see that the squeeze path would most likely never have worked and each person trying to brave it maybe even contribute to an earlier ruin and becoming trapped themselves.

Bravery is a good thing to have sure, but bravery that isn't met with sensibility is just recklessness or stupidity. Anyone who doesn't have a decent idea of what they're doing should not try to take huge risks in a rescue operation.

@BLB Entertainment Tbh it's for the better that they didn't go, though. The risk of becoming trapped themselves aside, the fact that it was gradually reaching the point of collapse would help indicate that the situation may not have been salvageable from the beginning. They needed to dig him out from the start, with hindsight available to us it's fairly easy to see that the squeeze path would most likely never have worked and each person trying to brave it maybe even contribute to an earlier ruin and becoming trapped themselves.

Bravery is a good thing to have sure, but bravery that isn't met with sensibility is just recklessness or stupidity. Anyone who doesn't have a decent idea of what they're doing *should not* try to take huge risks in a rescue operation.

@J also you must've lost someone you loved to call him a piece of shit for doing what he felt was his job and duty, and I'm sorry if you did. He simply was not a piece of shit. At least from what information was provided in the story. Love a little more please, I struggle ready to do the same and people calling others POS doesn't help spread the feeling.

@J he did the exact thing every day. It was routine at that point. Not to mention he was more focused on providing for his family and himself during tough times. Can't really knock someone for doing that. As he cared deeply, so did his family and friend. Again was it foolish? A little bit haha but a TON of jobs in the era did not emphasize safety. And what was he supposed to just buy and utilize safety equipment? Shit cost money, and besides he did this since a kid. It was passion and prospect that killed him and many others during his time. Even if he was a bumbling idiot we all learned from his mistakes. No need to go calling a dead man an idiot, or at least without pointing out the 100s of peoples dumb ideas around him too.  There's many ways to view the story, I'm just focused on the bright side my guy. Evidently I did not try to overlook the obvious shit. Also man became a celebrity, and people love to hop in and throw money at someone they look up to. Story of an underdog in distress.

@BLB Entertainment floyd was an absolute idiot and honestly a piece of shit for recklessly risking his life without thinking of his loved ones.
 On the other hand his brother homer,  miller and gerald acted like amazing human beings for selflessly risking their lives.
Remember that Geralds had to save him from a similar situation a year before this tragedy.

@BG my man really gonna be mad at getting spoiled off a real incident

Just for a sack of shit to undo everything for profit. God I hope we go extinct.

@CsStoker evidently, yet many would and perhaps should (with precaution) lay their life on the line for something or someone they love. It may just end up being something great, tragedy or not.

@BG why tf would u read comments before watching the video xD

@Kyle Abbott It's survival instinct, entering into such a small hole is suicide

And one last thing. Though he perished and many lost out on much needed money, whilst others hastily gathered their earnings by commercializing his suffering, this gave us an incredible and inspiring story. It certainly inspired me and I will always be there for my fellow humans no matter how "stupid" I belive their ideas may be at the time.  We must have patience as he did lying there alone.  I pray you do the same and leave a more positive impact on this world, no matter how small a contribution. Lord knows most all of us need some positive or brave words/stories right now. The world is chaos but together we can walk through life confidently, maybe even foolishly to something greater. Have a good day yall.

@Kyle Abbott They had the balls to act cocky tho.

@Kyle Abbott They had the balls to act cocky tho.

@Kyle Abbott they clearly wanted to by entering the cave entrance, but I believe they may have had wrong intentions in the back of their head. Truly those who ventured past the turn around room had courage and strength in the thought of bringing him out alive. In some aspect, it is slightly foolish but God knows we don't make strides towards greatness by following our incessant need to be safe and comfortable. Forge a path for yourself and pray you have those strong enough and with best intentions around you. Those who are "stupid" enough to follow you and discover or build something truly great by your side.

Nobody wanted to go into that hole because it's stupid to go into that hole


This story was an insane rollercoaster and when you said that Floyd was dead it was like a punch in the chest!


As someone who was in a coma last year, it certainly is a humbling experience to be at the lowest point in your life and see people come to help you and show concern for you.

just watch out for Buck, because he likes to f...


For all the silliness that made me giggle here and there, this left me in tears in the end. This poor man was disrespected at every turn even after death. This started eerily similar to a Magnus Archives episodes but ended up with much more real horror.


I keep thinking about how he could have asked to be killed quickly so he wouldn't have to continue suffering, but he really did not want to go. And nobody else would probably have the heart to do it. Besides, so much hope was injected into the situation that there was never a reason not to try to hold on just in case. We're all human: When he's as trapped and as alone as a human being can possibly get, he doesn't want to die, and he doesn't want to be alone.


It’s incredibly inspiring that so many people got together to try to save the life of one person even before there was a monetary incentive. The collective effort of everyone and how it caught the hearts of the whole nation is really heartwarming even if Floyd never made it out in the end.

Only like 5 people had the balls to actually make it to Floyd. Everybody else was chickenshit cowards trying to tell the real men what they were doing wrong.


this was wonderfully made and now i'm extremely sad. this will rest at the back of my mind for the rest of my life :( 10/10 video


Bruh props to you for lightining up this depressing ass story. At least the guy went out knowing people never gave up on helping him!


As someone who lives not even 2 hours away from Sand Cave, I never knew anything about all this except for the fact that a man had been trapped in the cave. Wonderful storytelling, it definitely put my partner and I under stress.

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I’m shocked that no one’s talking about Gerald. Dude moved 1100lbs of stone in a matter of hours for his childhood friend.

@vomix Jesus I'm not reading all that this Convo was weeks ago.

@vomix Jesus I'm not reading all that this Convo was weeks ago.

@michael
 HA HA HA HA..
I have been asked, like 2 weeks later
WTF does having an airplane with wings of spaghetti.
Have in common with the story?
NOT what I said; but something that really made an obscure point
IN MY MIND, at the time;' It appeared an analogy that would marvel
all who were lucky enough to find it.

@Hambo325 another person commented this wich really puts into context how incredible it was for him to move 500kg in a single session

"Two things people also gotta realize: The Turnaround Room isn't really a room. It's a widening of the tunnel that collapses to the 9 inch gap. It's just big enough to get your bearings, decide which way you want to go in, or turn back. It's not a 10 foot tall room that you can stretch your legs in preparation to go into the squeeze.

The other thing: The squeeze didn't allow you to change directions. The video makes it look like you can go in head-first, turn around at the 10 foot drop, then go down feet first. You have to decide if you want to go in head first or feet first. It's then 20 feet to the drop. Floyd went in feet first to clear it out then got stuck. His brother went in head first to clean out the rubble, then had to climb up the 10 foot drop BACKWARDS! "

under these conditions it would already be hard enough to just be there for and hour or longer but then to move 500kg of rocks and rubble with nothing but a tin can
that is a friend that i can only wish to have some day

@Morally Evil another person commented this wich really puts into context how incredible it was for him to move 500kg in a single session

"Two things people also gotta realize: The Turnaround Room isn't really a room. It's a widening of the tunnel that collapses to the 9 inch gap. It's just big enough to get your bearings, decide which way you want to go in, or turn back. It's not a 10 foot tall room that you can stretch your legs in preparation to go into the squeeze.

The other thing: The squeeze didn't allow you to change directions. The video makes it look like you can go in head-first, turn around at the 10 foot drop, then go down feet first. You have to decide if you want to go in head first or feet first. It's then 20 feet to the drop. Floyd went in feet first to clear it out then got stuck. His brother went in head first to clean out the rubble, then had to climb up the 10 foot drop BACKWARDS! "

@James Clouse another person commented this wich really puts into context how incredible it was for him to move 500kg in a single session

"Two things people also gotta realize: The Turnaround Room isn't really a room. It's a widening of the tunnel that collapses to the 9 inch gap. It's just big enough to get your bearings, decide which way you want to go in, or turn back. It's not a 10 foot tall room that you can stretch your legs in preparation to go into the squeeze.

The other thing: The squeeze didn't allow you to change directions. The video makes it look like you can go in head-first, turn around at the 10 foot drop, then go down feet first. You have to decide if you want to go in head first or feet first. It's then 20 feet to the drop. Floyd went in feet first to clear it out then got stuck. His brother went in head first to clean out the rubble, then had to climb up the 10 foot drop BACKWARDS! "

if the conditions were adjusted to normal ones like an open room with alot of space then the weight would prolly be adjusted to multiple tons of rubble without any tools to help

@Kentucky Critter Camera  another person commented this wich really puts into context how incredible it was for him to move 500kg in a single session

"Two things people also gotta realize: The Turnaround Room isn't really a room. It's a widening of the tunnel that collapses to the 9 inch gap. It's just big enough to get your bearings, decide which way you want to go in, or turn back. It's not a 10 foot tall room that you can stretch your legs in preparation to go into the squeeze.

The other thing: The squeeze didn't allow you to change directions. The video makes it look like you can go in head-first, turn around at the 10 foot drop, then go down feet first. You have to decide if you want to go in head first or feet first. It's then 20 feet to the drop. Floyd went in feet first to clear it out then got stuck. His brother went in head first to clean out the rubble, then had to climb up the 10 foot drop BACKWARDS! "

@James Clouse remember he was upside down in a cave that was so confined that he could probably not even move horizontally not even speaking about vertically and he had to climb up a 20ft drop backwards after he was done and he only had his hands it is a shit ton of weight and a shit ton of work you wouldnt have even made it into the squeeze yet you pretend like its something you couldve done

@Kentucky Critter Camera you forgot the part where he is upside down in a 20ft drop and had to climb up a 20ft drop BACKWARDS after moving that much rock

@Keter back then people did not know that Caffeine didint actually provide energy tho

@James Clouse like i said I did masonry for a while, I understand that it’s not much weight and I was really high when I wrote this

@1 2 yes but some of these comments are 100% really dumb people that are amazed that someone moved half a ton. That's the only reason I commented is because some people are like wow a half ton? Like literally a small teen could do that in an hour and I feel like people have lost their grasp on weight and having to move things if the half ton part is what stood out to them

@James Clouse but again, it would be upside down, in a claustrophobic cave, with barely 2 feet of room for movement, and a distressed man being in the way of moving the rocks. The weight itself isn’t the most impressive bit, it’s the circumstances.

Moving 1100 is super easy. seriously moving 1100 of rock is not hard at all. I was 14 when I got a job loading trucks with 1-2 tons of hay. That being said doing it in a cave would be hard but not because of the weight and I could never bring myself to crawl into a cave like that. I don't mean to be a dick but these comments seriously have me wondering if people understand weight because some of them are acting like half a ton is some unbelievable amount of weight for a person to move when its just not at all

@Morally Evil upside down, in a cramped cave, with an extremely distressed man making it difficult for you to save him

Yeah, I'm pretty sure this is as close to a literal "I'd move mountains for you" achievement as any individual could hope to claim.

Sad that Gerald was the last person Floyd talked to.

Sad that Gerald was the last person Floyd talked to.

@Morally Evil what tools did you use at your job?

@Morally Evil what tools did you use at your job?

@Benz :p It's funny how accurately you represent the bunch of people who stayed around the cave talking bullshit about things they could've done.

Moving over 1100 pounds of rocks and gravel isn’t much of an achievement with a shovel, but doing it with your hands in a very confined space wit the only tool available being a small bucket is one hell of an achievement. Much respect to that young man.

Literally when he shows up John Marstons theme plays like he is the og and the most qualified man for the job

Κωνσταντινος Τσαγκαλιδης

Hey man, it's simple: Bro's before hoes, and we all know Mother Earth is a bit of skank.

That was an effort worthy of being shouted from the rooftops across all Kentucky, but I've only ever heard of it here.  "Shocking" is a good word for your reaction, and mine now, too.

@Benz :p coffee saves lives in these situations, especially in exposure conditions

@Morally Evil In retrospect before I got into cooking I was a stone mason for a year and I probably did about the same lol

@Zaiden Sander but coffee contains caffeine, and caffeine is a diuretic, and urination lets out a lot of insulating fluids kept in the body. i'm no expert or even close, the effect of the coffee in terms of heat loss may have been negligible, but i think it might have made some slight difference to have brought him a different beverage / stimulant

@Benz :p please, oh please do a proper job of editing your post

@Benz :p please, oh please do a proper job of editing your post

Gerald is such a good bro, I hope to have a friend like Gerald someday

@Keter No actually a stimulant increases core body temperature slightly and provides more ability to resist unconsciousness which in cold temperatures spells certain death.

@Benz :p the coffee may have been important for warming him if it had been brought in a thermos.

@Keter Ah, well if Floyd thought it was gonna increase his energy, he would be placebo'ed into feeling like he has more energy so it holds half true I guess

1100 lbs isn't as much as it sounds like considering a light deadlift is 180lbs. Split that up into like 10lbs, ez. It's more the conditions that make it so impressive

Moving 1100lbs of stones in hour is EASY. Moving it in the conditions he was in is the hard part.  But the stone itself? Lmao no. Used to do that daily for a paycheck

@Zaiden Sander Caffeine doesn't provide true energy, it's just a stimulant effect. That said, any small mental boost in that circumstance would be helpful for morale, and the heat of the coffee, like you said, would be vital in his circumstance.

@Benz :p Coffee would provide energy so Floyd wouldn’t fall into bouts of lunacy and would probably provide a bit of warmth compared to water.

For real, that's some anime-level "power of friendship" stuff right there.

shoudlve got some water forhim instead of coffee

shoudlve got some water forhim instead of coffee


I can't remember the last time a story had me on the edge of my seat with anxiety the whole way through.<br>Nobody should have to go through that.

I can't remember the last time a story had me on the edge of my seat with anxiety the whole way through.
Nobody should have to go through that.


No stranger to horror but the intro gave me so much anxiety and terror of being stuck in a situation like that uhg just gives me chills


The personification of the cave is unnerving, and scary... Like it's some eldritch horror that consumes people

spoilers if you havent finished the video

You know when youre watching a movie watching the protagonist go through hell and back expecting a happy ending. This was like a gut punch. ii audibly gasped and low key wanted to cry. finsing out after all the hell he went through he didnt get a happy ending. i hope he found comfort knowing the entire nation was rooting for him to make it out and while physically he was alone. he didnt die alone

The personification of the cave is unnerving, and scary... Like it's some eldritch horror that consumes people

*spoilers if you havent finished the video*

You know when youre watching a movie watching the protagonist go through hell and back expecting a happy ending. This was like a gut punch. ii audibly gasped and low key wanted to cry. finsing out after all the hell he went through he didnt get a happy ending. i hope he found comfort knowing the entire nation was rooting for him to make it out and while physically he was alone. he didnt die alone


I’m surprised there was no mention of the musical they made out of this story. Surprisingly good music and very interesting to put on as a show.

If anyone memorializes me by prancing and frolicking on a stage, I'll haunt them to the ends of the Earth.

Well you just kept the memory of musical alive. Well done👏


Oh damn I just realized,<br>He wanted to turn the cave into a tourist attraction, but the cave turned him into a tourist attraction

Oh damn I just realized,
He wanted to turn the cave into a tourist attraction, but the cave turned him into a tourist attraction

man that's such a horrifyingly brilliant way to phrase it

"I want to turn this cave into a tourist attraction," he said as the Monkey Paw curled its finger.

@Zap Gun Yeh you're right but that doesn't sound as cool and poetic

The cave did nothing. There were a heck of a lot of selfish pricks around to fuck things up though. But they're dead now, so I suppose you could call it even.


Puuh, your video was bit too good, at least for me. i was the whole day mentally exhausted, just thinking about the same extent, „imagine.. layong around not moving for over weeks.. not seeing anything“ or just not knowing but doing something that basically was your last movement .. anyway i am glad you did another video and it was really good. Very good story telling thats for sure! I feel like animating the story, showing X person for X was quite effective like the last bigger story and I guess made me feel way more empathic than just data, especially the 3D model of the cave was quite much for me to comprehend. I dont know why, but i just hoped all the time, he will come out alive, but in the end it was a ticking bomb all along.


That was a rollercoaster I wasn't expecting! Thanks to Wendigoon for linking this in his community tab!

Hi thanks for watching congratulations you have been selected among my shortlisted Halloween winners text me to claim a prize now.........


I would like to say ...the way this was done was  exceptional ... the humor, the information, the back ground story and  the jokes and puns .. i must subscribe  thank you i enjoyed every bit


The animated faces really gave me a Fallout, early PC RPG vibe. Hands down, Internet Historian is the best true story teller on the internet, of all time.


i was like... "damm three days stuck in a cave must've been terrible, poor guy." and then the hours kept on going and going and going and going

i was sweating my hand HARD at the one week mark .... then i was just downhill for me

@credit crazy it is gross and will probably seen as comedic for some people , but he was pissing and shitting himself down there for that whole time he was trapped--which is easy to forget since the video didn't deliberately point that out. wouldn't be surprising if he got infections from his wounds while waiting to die.

I've never truly experienced a claustrophobic situation, but I sweated profusely throughout the entire story.

And to make it worse is how little he could move not to mention how he probably couldn't use the bathroom ether honestly I'm surprised how quickly the story blew up most story's today with the internet don't go viral that fast

when they were drilling that hole and were at about 360 hours, I was like "alright he's probably dead now", and then the hour counter just speeds up and never stops. It's insane.


All but respect to this man, May he Rest In Peace.


What a story! I'm amazed how he held that long. Massive respect


this video was amazing, its shocking how well you can make the viewers feel for Floyd. the descriptions and images make it that much better. id watch it again despite the length, because this was better than a lot of movies I've seen. love it, keep up the amazing content. story telling=immaculate ❤🔥


Floyd was blessed with such amazing friends in the worst time of his life. His death was so incredibly cruel though that I'm really sad.

Hi thanks for watching congratulations you have been selected among my shortlisted Halloween winners text me to claim a prize now......


I became so invested in this storytelling that I actually felt my heart shatter in two when I found out that Floyd couldn't make it. I just assumed that he somehow miraculously survived in the end because of how you narrated the rescue in such detail and it completely caught me off guard when he died anyway. There has literally been no other documentary I have watched that played with my emotions as much as this.

@Kevin Reilly weakness is everywhere now

@Geri Ott nihilistic drivel, you get youre morals from super hero movies unreal levels of stupid in our society.

From the way it was narrated i could tell he wouldn't survive tbh. I can't really pinpoint any exact timestamps(i'm too lazy) but he kept giving the audience hope in a way that hints the opposite will happen

Dude, for real though. Not even joking here...Internet Historian is one of the best storytellers of our generation

Yea. And no offense to internet historian, but that 'bit' at the end with the voice actors was... really tasteless. I know it was a century ago, but clearly this man and his family knew only suffering. Its not really..material for a fun bit

Unfortunately, like IH said in the Stede Bonnet video, real life rarely gives you a satisfying conclusion, not even an AR-15 and a jetski would've saved Collins.

Maybe some anti-rock cream would've helped, though.

You should watch more documentaries then. I get what you’re saying but there’s so many enthralling ones out there

At first I was like this sounds similar to a story I heard about, hoping it might have a better end, only to realize just before the ad read it absolutely was the same story and am now super stressed. My worst nightmare.

@J Hawkshaw I was rooting for the guy as well ngl. But a person cant survive that long without food and water. And heck the lamp going out which was his only source of heat probably eventually sealed his fate.

I was hoping for a happy end to the story as well but the cards werent in his favour :(

@Demoulius It turned from hope to a little bit of doubt, then it turned into denial until...<br>It was a complete emotional roller-coaster for me

@Demoulius It turned from hope to a little bit of doubt, then it turned into denial until...
It was a complete emotional roller-coaster for me

@Demoulius what’s insane is he survived 2 weeks stuck there. He really deserved to make it out alive. I was so sad when it came the the last cave in after how much work was done to try & get him out

Honestly when I heard the 30 hour estimate I was already sceptical. And then when it was apparent that it got delayed I was under no illusion that he would make it. Hate to be proven right but you cant survive for such long periods of time without heat, water and food...

OMG THIS COMMENT IS JUST LIKE THAT COMIC BOOK MOVIE

Same, now imagine how it must have felt for all these people and especially his loves one. So much time, so much effort so much hope.  As thanos would say: I ask you to what end? Dread it. Run from it. Destiny arrives all the same.


Someone will have to correct me if I'm wrong, but as low frequency sounds can travel through solid objects much faster, maybe, just maybe, Floyd might have heard the faint rumbling and clashing of pickaxes through the last 20 ft of rock as he was drawing his final breath, as hopeless as he felt when the lightbulb had burned out. So close, yet so far.


This is the most beautiful and well done documentaries I've ever seen. I saw a movie loosely based on this event called Ace in the Hole with Kirk Douglas that has a different outcome from what I remember so I thought I knew what was going to happen. Nope.

Honestly, this deserves praise of one of the best YouTube videos ever created. Amazing job, IH and team.


What saves humanity from its horrendous actions is those few, against all odds and logic, keep on working, thinking and fighting to save one of their own. There are some truly fantastic people in this story... who ignored the naysayers and just pushed on... they are why our species has a chance.


Its insane how good internet historian is at telling  stories.<br>I want more!!

Its insane how good internet historian is at telling  stories.
I want more!!


Miller was absolutely inspiring. He was a man who came down to get a scoop. Braved the cave when no one else would, to get said scoop. Saw Floyd first hand, and chose to stick around and help him get out. A complete stranger risking his own life over and over again, to help a person in need

And then denied the chance to earn a million dollars, probably because it went against his morals to profit off of the tragedy

And he tried to use the jack and crowbar for several hours, probably with barely much break. He was a complete stranger, but practically commited to getting Floyd out of there by any means he could. Man's a legend.

@Nina a imagine if something collapsed and getting stuck reaching for the jack pressed against floyd face down with the weight of the rock above you.<br>You know Miller had to have imagined it and still he worked.

@Nina a imagine if something collapsed and getting stuck reaching for the jack pressed against floyd face down with the weight of the rock above you.
You know Miller had to have imagined it and still he worked.

@「Iberis」 didn't even realize it was during the great depression holy shit, turning down today's equivalent of nearly a million dollars during a financial crisis is some king shit.

@Nina a i don't think people realize how hard that is. I've worked (for fun, farmer family so you know the deal) in the rice fields, to dug the soil or to seed it and I'll be exhausted in minutes. Cannot even imagine how miller went to such lengths and tried again and again in such a claustrophobic area. That's amazing. What a Chad.

@Nina a not to mention being in such a tight area, with limited air flow, almost pressed on top of a guy who was covered in his own urine, sweat and possibly faeces. Unreal dedication went above and beyond.

Man fuckin nearly died doing the jack-crowbar thing. Swear to God, Miller was built different

@Brian Lam Being a capitalist doesn't require being an asshole.<br>Dude deserves to be remembered for being a prick.

@Brian Lam Being a capitalist doesn't require being an asshole.
Dude deserves to be remembered for being a prick.

@M Alif He was just a random capitalist, doing what would get him better off in life. Being a prick, whatever, he's dead, nobody cares about him anymore. What should be remembered was the heroic efforts of everyone involved, from the friends and family, to a literally random stranger who decided to help purely on the empathy he felt.

An absolute Gigachad, and he still only 21

@M Alif Dentist was like I just bought myself a famous corpse. Court was like, gawd damn right he did. Public was like I'll pay to see that old famous story that didn't turn out so well.

I'm just like, I wish the news stuck to stories like that when ain't shit else happening. Stop causing trouble to make more news. However even here we saw them throwing money to back they hype that they would save him. Everyone saying the same as the paper "pockets open" then the money dries up as usual. The people arguing about it all and some coming up with an ideas, for the next guy. The more things change the more they stay the same.

Miller, Homer and Gerald were all real bros.

He was a massive legend

The dentist at the end of the story however is the polar opposite, calling him a massive fucking prick would be an understatement

@theguyyouhate Miller did not take the money at the time of Great Depression, my man is an absolute chad.

honestly what cemnted him as inspireing was saying no to the deal. now don't get me wrong i completly understand why his brother took it. but Miller had nothing more to do with the case. and rather than enrich himself on the entire story, which wouldn't even be that bad a thing really, he was done.


Just a small critique, when Floyd was placed in a cave as a tourist attraction, he was placed in Crystal Cave. It was a nearby cave he had discovered and was much bigger. Sand cave was too small and dangerous for them to use it as a tourist attraction without major changes.


Fantastic content! I'd never heard this story before, and it's a riveting piece of forgotten history. Unfortunately the outcome is given away somewhat by citation of a book title from 1976. So if you don't want to be ripped from the suspense (vis-a-vis the outcome of the rescue mission), try not to read the footnotes at the bottom of the screen.


The hours turned to decades. Probably the most creepily extraordinary story to come from entrepreneurship.


Liking these longer videos, this is a very well structured video and would like to see more content like this (obviously don’t always do content like this because I can imagine how time consuming and difficult it was to create this) but still


The cave being subtly used as a character is so damn creepy. That’s a part of the world that human eyes were not meant to see.

@StrikeWarlock *the antagonist, not the villain. It didn't have evil intentions, but it did hinder the main characters' progress

We grew up as a species in caves. But we didn't have to go so damn deep!

@phoebe video game reference, not one specific one just a reference to all those games that tell you to adjust your brightness at the beginning

I’m honestly not sure if it’s scarier to interpret the cave as a monster who thirsts for blood, or just what it is: a cold, unfeeling, unthinking <i>thing</i> which is incapable of caring about you at all, even as it slowly kills you in a freak accident.

I’m honestly not sure if it’s scarier to interpret the cave as a monster who thirsts for blood, or just what it is: a cold, unfeeling, unthinking _thing_ which is incapable of caring about you at all, even as it slowly kills you in a freak accident.

whats up with the brightness thing at the start of the video?

@Practic4l intended or not it  added some atmosphere to the already atmospheric video.

not only that but the picture used to represent the cave looking like a monsters mouth is also a nice symbolism (if it was intended of course)

I'm reminded of how in the HBO Chernobyl series, the core is treated as this sort of eldritch abomination.

@High Definition not a genius loci, per se, but the cave served as the villain of this video.

Silent watchful cursed cave.
It thirsts a sacrificial grave.
Winds of fate will loose a rock
To keep you in its crushing lock.

@Evergrand Storyteller that cave must be a Chad then

Strook me as a Wendigoon touch. IH has good storytelling but that personification of a cave sounds straight up from a Wendigoon video.

@High Definition yes! personification specifically👍

@High Definition During the video the cave is being characterized as not wanting to let Floyd go like some sort of monster that keeps coming back to make sure its prey can't get away.

But in the end that b!tch was opened wide for the whole world to see just as Floyd had intended.

Some Eldritch Abomination lurking in the deep places of the earth.


Man, the cave doesn't want to let go of Floyd.

Seriously, please no one should put him back there. Let the man finally rest in piece away from that cave.


Being trapped in such a small area and not being able to move is absolutely terrifying. Especially if you have claustrophobia like me.


I don't have right words to tell how this story is inspirational and touching, truly masterful video

Александр Кононенко


This was so very interesting and entertaining 💜<br>And I have new found admiration for Wendigoon and all his homies for making this entertaining documentary.

This was so very interesting and entertaining 💜
And I have new found admiration for Wendigoon and all his homies for making this entertaining documentary.


Woah, Miller was hell of a journalist. Actually traversing the squeeze multiple times, then helping with the gravel and keeping Floyd company, so glad he won the Pullitzer prize in the end.

@Colbio bro I can only hope to ever meet a man like miller seriously hes what a man should stride to be

@Shakes.Don't know what yer gettin in exposure sure but he declined the HUGE summs of money he was offered and that truly shows that he is a man of honor

he even rejected a huge money offer wich just makes me respect that man even more

Miller trying to wrangle that bottle jack and crowbar for hours in that little gap w floyd, was incredible bravery and generocity

Plus he doesn't seem like he would be an experienced caver. Just the fact he went in once was amazing but how he actively tried to help is simply admirable

@XXHoboCatXX you don’t see people like that much anymore eithee

@MsEm Need data?? Look at any news media. It's all the same bullshit.

@Buragi the guy who thinks all journalists are assholes is an antisemite? wow man, big shock<br>you guys are just sore at journalists for reporting on trump being a pedophile or something. sad!

@Buragi the guy who thinks all journalists are assholes is an antisemite? wow man, big shock
you guys are just sore at journalists for reporting on trump being a pedophile or something. sad!

@Savannah Darling Starts with J and ends with ews.

@MsEm "and some are assholes"<br>Extend that to absolute majority these days.

@MsEm "and some are assholes"
Extend that to absolute majority these days.

@Penthesilea Urso yea less regulation<br>though now there are way more journalists

@Penthesilea Urso yea less regulation
though now there are way more journalists

Back then journalism was Journalism and not fake news for attention and political propaganda in favor of whatever political faction the CEO happens to be a fan of.<br>At a certain point, journalism stopped being about relating the news, and started being about money and political interests. This is what happens when many news outlets coagulate into giants and the news media environment is ruled by a handful of giants with ties to the government and political parties and who call all the shots.

Back then journalism was Journalism and not fake news for attention and political propaganda in favor of whatever political faction the CEO happens to be a fan of.
At a certain point, journalism stopped being about relating the news, and started being about money and political interests. This is what happens when many news outlets coagulate into giants and the news media environment is ruled by a handful of giants with ties to the government and political parties and who call all the shots.

@Justice Dunham most journs have always been sum throughout history what you mean?

I AM THE BEEST YOUUTUBER YOU'RE ALL TRAASH COMPARED TO ME IM THE BEEST 😯😯😯😯😯😯😯😯😯😯😯😯😯😯😯😯😯😯😯😯😯😯😯😯😯😯

@Colbio do you have a link to that? I'd like to read about it

@The Rudest Buster yeah, he is.  Based on ONE case it's a silly thing to say.

Back when journalists were actually important and did great work

@Colbio ....WTF FOR REAL?! That's so sweet! But why was it left out of the video?! OMG

@XXHoboCatXX Because they all belong to a certain ethnicity that famously cares about nothing but gold...

@MsEm And yet he’s still not wrong, because being harsh isn’t a sin

Miller walked so the guys from outlast could run

Miller walked so the guys from outlast could run

@Luke Skywalker shut up boomer, journalists today have been off-ed by the Saudi goverment and the other today's journalist is being hunted by CIA for leaking stuffs and forced to hide under Russia's goverment.

@Colbio damn. Imagine if he learned about the crystal cave from floyd himself

Just a brave guy all around - according to his wiki, he left journalism shortly after and eventually went into broadcasting, where he became known for managing "unusual events" (including the first ever live transmission from a parachute jump).

@Luke Skywalker You can admire someone's deeds without slagging off other people. There are some hero journalists around, just as there were back then, and some are assholes - just as some were back then.

@Colbio could those crystals have been sold?

@Colbio could those crystals have been sold?

@Colbio best comment I've ever seen on YouTube

@Colbio best comment I've ever seen on YouTube

Best part that's not covered in this video actually:

Years later, Miller got a team together and finished the job for Floyd. He dug out that fuckin crystal cave.

@Luke Skywalker I mean, journalists back then <b>definitely</b> did that too. Probably more often, if we're being frank.

@Luke Skywalker I mean, journalists back then *definitely* did that too. Probably more often, if we're being frank.

@XXHoboCatXX profit can come in more forms than just money

@XXHoboCatXX He profited colossally from it.

@XXHoboCatXX He profited colossally from it.

@XXHoboCatXX Id think profitting is wrong in itself. The problem was to profit by telling cheap trills stories in those types of shows. It all depends on how the profetting is done. He at the end of the day did still profited in a way, it just was  the good way.

Journalists were a different stock back then I guess. Look at how they do nothing but stoke riots and act as puppets for the government now. Absolutely shameful.

And even after all that he refused to profit from it. You just don't see journalists like that much anymore.

Yeah, today you have journalists who would push a guy off a building for a chance to get a Pullitzer.

He didn't have any responsibility. He was nothing more than a reporter.

Yet he still tried. Even doing the thing with the crowbar for 4 hours straight. Not to mention having the balls to go through such a tight opening MULTIPLE times.


This might the most invested I feel like i've ever been in a story i was being told before. I can only imagine the sheer amount of work that went into making this but it's an incredibly entertaining video and i'm almost disappointed it was only an hour.


Thought I'd make a rough timeline of the events and what happened on what day to clear things up. Also, while the video was pretty good, it did get some of the things wrong (for example, Day 6/7 wasn't spent arguing - rescue attempts were made). Also, as the text came out super long, this is spread out into different comments.

Wednesday, February 11th, 1925 (Day 13):
- Freezing temperatures and snowfall further slow down the progress on the shaft.
- The two phony telegrams are sent

Thursday, February 12th, 1925 (Day 14):
- Rescue shaft has reached 48 feet and the sides need constant shoring to avoid collapse.

Friday, February 13th, 1925 (Day 15):
- On the morning of Friday the 13th, the men working the shaft said they could hear Floyd coughing.
- Denhardt reported his office had received more than 2,000 letters—most offered advice on how to free Collins.
- This is the day Floyd Collins most likely died. He had spent the total of two weeks trapped in thay cave; one of them without any food or water (if not to count the water that dropped on his face). However, the combimation of dehydration, starvation and exposure through hypothermia ended up killing him at age 37.

Saturday, February 14th, 1925 (Day 16):
- The military court of inquiry delivered its finding, Floyd was definitely trapped in Sand Cave.
- The Shaft is now roughly 55 feet deep.

Sunday, February 15th, 1925 (Day 17):
- By the end of the night, the lateral tunnel was only few feet away from Floyd.
- Most people have lost hope that Floyd is still alive

Monday, February 16th, 1925 (Day 18):
- At 10:30 a.m., Homer Collins broke through the military guard on duty at the cave and almost succeeded in reaching and going down the shaft when a rumor stated Floyd was being brought up the shaft.
- At 1:30pm they break through to a Sand Cave passage.
- At 3:42 p.m., rescuers reported they finally connected the parallel shaft with Sand Cave and discovered Floyd Collins' lifeless body: "No sounds came from Collins at all, no respiration, no movement, and the eyes were sunken, indicating, according to physicians, extreme exhaustion going with starvation."

Sunday, February 8th, 1925 (Day 10):
- The day was nicknamed a "Carnival Sunday", as up to 10 000 people descended upon Sand Cave, hoping to see rescuers pulling Floyd Collins out. The site turned into a carnival-like atmosphere with vendors selling souvenirs, hot dogs, sandwiches, popcorn, and balloons to the curiosity seekers that had flocked to see the tragedy. Con artists roamed around, asking for "donations" to aid the work crew.
- The shaft was now 23 feet deep.
- The story starts to take a negtive turn in the media, as people start to point fingers and blame each other for failed rescue attempts. Robert Burdon (the firefighter harness guy) goes as far as to say that some of the “rescuers” were “guilty of nothing short of murder.” A rumor is flying around that this has all been a big hoax, and that Floyd isn't even down there.

Monday, February 9th, 1925 (Day 11):
- Four main theories fly around - that it's a hoax to lure tourists to see Kentucky caves; that Floyd was murdered by someone unknown after he entered the cave; that food and water are purpusefully kept from Floyd so he would die; and that Floyd isn't in fact in the cave at all. The media loves this.

Tuesday, February 10th, 1925 (Day 12):
- A military court of inquiry convenes in the Cave City to clear up any suspicions and to disprove the rumors.
- Despite that, the number of volunteers start to drop as the rumors spread.
- Rain further slows down the digging process.

Thursday, February 5th, 1925 (Day 7):
- The Governor of Kentucky, William J. Fields places National Guard Brigadier General Henry Denhart in command of the rescue.
- Locals are driven away from the rescue area, and they aren't happy about it.
- Entering the cave from the main entrance is now banned, as the risk was life-threatening.
- Engineer Henry Carmichael supervises the creation of a 6’x6’ vertical shaft to rescue Floyd.
- Drills, dynamite, power shovels, pneumatic drills are excluded from the rescue attempt due to the fear that it will cause the cave to collapse and kill Floyd (video mentioned that they were afraid it would suffocate Floyd, but thats just a tiny nitpick)
- The floor of the cavern raised, and walls closed in a few feet ahead of Collins. This would be the last time his voice would be heard.
- A guard had to be assigned to Homer Collins, to prevent his entering the cavern.
- Many companies and business from all over the country start sending supplies to Sand Cave which is quickly becoming overloaded with items.
- A hospital is set up to treat people for cuts, colds, contusions, bruises, and physical exhaustion.
- By 7:00pm they are seven feet down with a digging rate of only one foot an hour.

Friday, February 6th, 1925 (Day 8):
- Massive amounts of volunteers and supplies arrive to work on the shaft. The process is well organized and managed but due to large rocks, gravel, and muck in the shaft it slows progress.
- The shaft has reached 17 feet in depth.
- Homer Collins and John Gerald are both banned from the site. Homer, because he evaded Guardsmen and entered the main passageway of the cave to see if his brother was still alive (he was gone for some time, and a party was organised to go in after him as well. When he reappeared, no further action was taken against him as he was in a highly nervous state). John was banned because he and the "locals" criticized the rescue methods loudly and publically, which caused many arguments and fights.
- Floyd's other brother, Andy Lee, finally arrives from Illinois after nonstop driving. When he saw the cave opening, he collapsed, and he was taken to the Cave City to recover.
- Meanwhile, Floyd's father, Lee Collins (don't confuse him with previoisly mentioned brother Andy Lee Collins), is out milking money from the situation by handing out Crystal Cave advertisements, selling phoographs of Floyd for 1$ a piece and by telling anyone who bothered to listen about Floyd's adventures and how this is all "God's Will".
- As there aren't as many updates now, different rumors and lies start to spread as journalists become desperate for new things to write about.

Saturday, February 7th, 1925 (Day 9):
- National Red Cross arrives, and they take over the feeding of the workers. The workers had previoisly had only "black coffee, crackers, and moonshine whisky.”
- National Guard erects a barb-wired fence to secure the rescue site.
- Several people look for other caves or entrances to Sand Cave to possibly gain access to Floyd from another passageway. This is unsuccessful.

Monday, February 2nd, 1925 (Day 4):
- News that a man is trapped in a cave start to spread around the region and state.
- Journalist William "Skeets" Miller, Lieutenant Robert Burdon (from the firefighters team) and Johnnie "John" Gerald (Floyd's caving buddy) arrive and they do their thing.
- Roughly 200 people are gathered outside the cave. Two tents have been erected, one to sell hot coffee and snacks and the other for first-aid.

Tuesday, February 3rd, 1925 (Day 5):
- Floyd has become the top news story in the nation.
- National guard arrives to assist with the crowd control.
-Skeets Miller and other volunteers rig the electrocal cord with lightbulbs to Floyd Collins, with Skeets Miller placing the lightbulb on Floyd's chest for heat and light
- Three men from the Woodson and Kratch Monument Co. of Louisville arrive and try to convince John Gerald to let them chisel away at the rock above Floyd. John refuses to let the try it, as he believes it would do more harm than good.
- Henry St. George Tucker Carmichael (Superintendent of Kentucky Rock Asphalt Company) arrives with his workers. He makes the first attempt at an organized and coordinated rescue, but Floyd’s brothers and the locals are convinced that the rescue shaft would jar the rocks and cause a collapse, killing Floyd. Carmichael reluctantly agrees and has his men start removing rocks from the cave passageway to make further cave rescue attempts easier.
- As the day went on, the crowd outside became drunkier and rowdier, and a split soon developed between "outlanders" (led by Robert Burdon) and "locals" (headed by John Gerald). Arguments and fistfights became a common thing.
- As most of the rubble has been removed by now from Floyd's body, Skeets Miller tries jacks to raise the rock that has trapped Floyd's foot. After hours of trying, Floyd convinces Miller to get some rest and try again the next day.

Wednesday, February 4th, 1925 (Day 6):
- That morning, Floyd is in decent shape. Churches across the country hold services for Floyd, and he has become a top news story in New York Times.
- The jack idea is tried again.
- Robert Burdon holds a press converence, stating that they will hopefully get Floyd out very soon.
- The ceiling of the cave is starting to show signs of crumbling, and the passageway is turning unstable. John Gerald expresses his concern that as the people around rise the temperature of the cave, the cave is going to collapse. Skeets Miller and Robert Burbon remain optimostic, but most people aren't listening to them as they are relatively unfamiliar with the area and its caves.
-  Two men enter the cave to feed Floyd and they notice large that ceiling has developed large cracks. Sizeable rocks are slumping downward and debris is falling. They hurry to exit the cave as rocks start to fall. There is officially a cave collapse that separates the rescue teams from Floyd Collins.
- John Gerald makes an attempt to dig out the collapse with a select group of men. They will shore up the sides of the cave as they go, but due to several days of rain, rubbing of the walls by rescuers, a midwinter thaw, and dripping ground water, the cave structure deteriorates further creating another collapse in the passageway. In an attempt to get through the second collapse, several rocks fall on Gerald in his rescue attempt causing him to finally leave the cave admitting defeat.

Friday, January 30th, 1925 (Day 1):
- Floyd Collons enters the Sand Cave in the morning. He ends up trapped, and he spends the entire day in the cave, unbeknownst to anyone.

Saturday, January 31st, 1925 (Day 2):
- Neighbors realise that Floyd is missing and they start looking for him. They find his coat by the cave, and the 17-year old Jewell Estes crawls to the turnaround point, where he is able to communicate with Floyd.
- Neighbors proceed to alert Floyd's family, and his brothers Homer and Marshall join the rescue attempt. They bring Floyd food and water.

Sunday, February 1st, 1925 (Day 3):
- The next day, Homer starts to dig out Floyd with little to no success. Floyd's other brother Marshall offers $500 to whoever brings out Floyd (in todays money, thats roughly $8500, though in terms of labor value, thats close to $30 000 in todays terms).
- Many promise to help deliver food and water to Floyd, but they get scared in the dark, tight passageways (let's face it, most of us would too), so they instead hide the goods in the cracks and creviches.
- By midnight, all rescue endeavours had fizzled out, and Homer could only sit beside Floyd during this cold wet night.


This story made me feel every possible thing; anxiety, fear, optimism, anger, frustration, sadness, relief, ect. <br>IH; you just keep getting better and better, like a fine wine. I’m showing my grandma (the one that hates everything except you), and I’m sure she’ll love it.

This story made me feel every possible thing; anxiety, fear, optimism, anger, frustration, sadness, relief, ect.
IH; you just keep getting better and better, like a fine wine. I’m showing my grandma (the one that hates everything except you), and I’m sure she’ll love it.


Love the cast this time around! Almost a Hollywood level production!


This whole story was so morbid, so haunting at every turn, and it’s presented in such an entertaining way. Thank you Internet Historian.

Key word: Entertaining. He lied about many things in this. Besides the things he got wrong. Had to make a 50 minute long video kust talking about how many damned things he got wrong.

@William North He didn't even boother to get his facts straight too. IH has done far more damage than any of the other channels who put out poor quality videos on the matter (not all of them, a few did good.)

If you're entertained by a man slowly dying, you might be a psychopath

@Linus yeah it was pretty fucked that this had such a horrible ending with the comedy style it was put in

@Kleidus Wow, it's my opinion? Gee golly, I didn't realize that, thanks for this incredible insight

@Nagger its all subjective, bud. You may find it tasteless but i, on the other hand, thoroughly enjoyed it.

Sure, others will tell this story on a more brooding way, but humor is just one side of the coin.

@Linus Yeah, some of the comedy seemed a bit tasteless tbh

@edgedg cry about it?? jesus christ y'all are crybabies

@Linus he said name 5 and didnt he cove the cost of cocordia ?

Just to +1 on other replies. This is too morbid a story to expect from Internet Historian to cover :( "and my day is ruined".

@Childer Yeeter 420 Just search Floyd Collins cave disaster. Theres so many who have done this story. Its one of the most famous cave stories. This one is a pretty horrible and tragic one and i didnt find it go hand in hand with Historians comedy.

@William North name 5, if there’s so many, and your such an expert

This story has been told many times on youtube, way better, don't know why he bothered.


This was such an incredible and heart-wrenching story to watch... very, VERY well done!!

Does anybody know where the 3D mapping at 5:07 comes from?


One of the best stories I've ever heard on internet! The storytelling is very intriguing and the humour is dosed very precisely, not to turn it into a horror which it actually is, but to keep it light enough for an average viewer. The choice of actors is pretty misleading though. I'm wondering why haven't you used the real historic photos? It leaves an impression of Floyd as an irresponsible kid, while he was actually a 37. y.o. experienced cave explorer. Also, ethnic relations in the family seem to be unclear. All in all, nice visuals and animations!


The production quality is over the roof. I can't wait for the next one


This is the most detailed and honestly entertaining telling of this story I’ve ever found