In Lisbon, Maine, one family lost everything they owned in a tragic house fire. So when firefighters emerged from the charred remains with a box of mewing kittens, the sight was nothing short of a miracle.
Alison Ross, a mother of 5, was attending the Run for Our Fallen Heroes benefit event with her children when the fire broke out. Ross lost her first husband, Army Staff Sgt. Eric Ross, in 2007 when he was killed in action in Iraq. Her fiancé was away at military training at the time of the fire.
For a young family who has made their share of sacrifices, the incident was an absolute tragedy. But out of the wreckage emerged a small ray of hope: a litter of newborn kittens, who’d been kept snug in a box in the basement, had survived the disaster.
The incredible discovery was caught on camera:
Inside the box were “six very wet little kittens, shivering and meowing but alive,” reports the Times Record.
And another small twist of fate: a neighbor on the scene happened to be a kitten foster for the local Coastal Humane Society, and immediately started caring for the babies. The surrounding bystanders also rushed in to help.
Watch as the concerned neighbors sprang into action to warm and dry the newborn kittens:
Now THIS is what being a good neighbor is really about!
If this story touched your heart, consider giving to the Ross family’s GoFundMe page as Alison, her fiancé, and kids (“twin two-month-old boys, two other boys aged 9 and 10, and a daughter who will soon be turning 14,” according to Times Record) work to rebuild their lives. So far, just over $1,100 has been raised on a $200,000 goal.
Best of luck to this family, and of course, the miraculous surviving litter of newborn kittens!
(h/t: Times Record)