Sinkhole victim's brother recalls trying to save his brother, hopes for miracle

BRANDON, Fla. - Jeremy Bush, the brother of a 36-year-old old man who was swallowed into a sinkhole Thursday morning, is still reeling from the experience.

While fire rescue officials announced the victim, Jeff Bush, is presumed dead, Jeremy is hoping that his brother survives.

Jeremy was the last person to see his brother, Jeff, before he became trapped in the sinkhole that opened up underneath their Brandon home overnight Thursday.  

“He was lying down in bed, we just got home from work,” Jeremy said.

Jeremy then headed to his second job, but then he returned home after finding out he wasn’t working Friday.

He passed the news along to his brother before retiring to his bedroom for the night.

Sometime around 11 p.m, Thursday, Jeremy remembers hearing a loud crash while he was in his room.

“I heard my brother screaming, so I ran back there…I tried going inside his room, but when I turned on the light all I seen was this hole, big black hole, and all I seen was his mattress,” he recalled.

He jumped in the hole and tried to dig him out.

“..but I couldn’t find him. I was trying to find him. I thought I could hear him hollering for me to help him,” he said.

He continued digging until officials came and pulled him out of the hole.

He and his family have remained near the site as crews work in attempt to locate Jeff.

He says he wants closure.

“(I want to) make sure he’s not dead…I just want to be here for him. That’s my brother man,” he said, choked up with tears.