Photo: GoFundMe
Megan Scavo can be certain that she's picked the right man. Scavo's boyfriend, Mike Ross, recently braved the rising high waters of Florida's Hurricane Ian to rescue a terrified and stranded cat. Fortuitously, Ross's mother, Marybeth Ross, caught her brave son's impressive deed on camera, and Scavo posted the video on Twitter. Now the wonderful story of Ross's instinctive act to help the feline has inspired cat lovers and others in need of a hero.
The 29-year-old had decided to hunker down at his parent's house on the night of the storm, as his own place in southwest Florida was “10 feet under water.” The storm surge had increased a lot around 2 PM, and that's when he spotted the orange and white cat seeking refuge on top of a mounted air conditioning unit from a window.
Ross braced himself against the category 4 storm—with wind speeds of up to 150 miles per hour—to save the scared and helpless cat. Having grown up in Florida, he is used to extreme weather conditions, but even he considered this particular storm as “absolutely terrible.” The video posted by Scavo shows Ross gently enfolding the cat in his arms as he steps up from the rushing water to save the animal. Once safely tucked against Ross's chest, the cat reaches up and holds onto Ross's shoulder as he brings it through muddy-looking, knee-high, rushing water.
“My boyfriend saving a cat from flood waters near Bonita Beach,” Scavo captioned the video. The comments and shares that resulted from her post have confirmed it: her boyfriend Mike Ross really is the cat's whiskers. “Michael is a keeper!” one Twitter follower responded. Another perfectly captured the sentiment with a tweet that read, “I’m sorry, Megan, but he is everyone’s boyfriend now. I don’t make the rules.”
Some of the comments expressed concern for the lives endangered by the storm, and the couple has now started a GoFundMe campaign for animals and people impacted by Hurricane Ian.
Mike Ross rescued a terrified, stranded cat from the rising high waters of Hurricane Ian, and his girlfriend Megan Scavo posted the rescue on Twitter.
My boyfriend saving a cat from flood waters near Bonita Beach. #HurricaneIan #Naples #Bonita #FortMyers pic.twitter.com/BlBC9P1rdy
— Megan Cruz Scavo (@MeganScavo) September 28, 2022
It went viral, with folks praising Ross for saving the cat.
A cat’s nature is to fight when they are scared especially with a stranger. Your boyfriend was so gentle and measured that the cat read his intent. I love cats and now I think I love your boyfriend a little too. Good job. 🙂💕🐈⬛
— Bev ForeverBlue (@born_bev) September 28, 2022
Omg well done 💕 heart bursting seeing the look on the cats face 🐱 ❤️ #Staysafe
— Liz Errington-Evans (@liz_errington) September 29, 2022
Please thank your boyfriend. What an awesome person he is rescuing this kitty who must have been so terrified. ❤️
Please stay safe.
— lc declassifies 200,000 documents💭😛🍂🏈🎃 (@lcatboonies) September 28, 2022
Any guy, who would put himself in that situation, in order to rescue a helpless, scared kitty is a good guy and perhaps a keeper!
— Sharon💐 🚫 NO LISTS‼️🗳 BLUE in 2022 (@Godmaid27Sharon) September 28, 2022
I’m sorry, Megan, but he is everyone’s boyfriend now. I don’t make the rules. 🤷🏻♀️
— Lulu Mac (@LuluMcSideways) September 28, 2022
Ross and Scavo started a GoFundMe to help restore homes damaged by the hurricane. Part of the proceeds goes to Humane Society Naples.
We are starting a gofundme to help restore our home and others’ homes that were damaged by #HurricaneIan. We are donating half of the proceeds to the Humane Society Naples in honor of our miracle cat, Ian.
Thank you for all of the love and support: https://t.co/GUgY5qhKvD
— Megan Cruz Scavo (@MeganScavo) September 29, 2022
h/t: [HuffPost]
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