“On her lunch break from work, Nicole Toney was on her way home, her mind still consumed by the morning’s meetings and deadlines. Her drive took her over a bridge, providing a momentary respite from the stress of her busy day.
As she neared the middle of the bridge, her eyes caught something that almost made her heart stop. There, balancing precariously on the edge of the bridge, was a tiny kitten. It was a fleeting glimpse, but it was enough to jolt Nicole into action.
Instinct took over, and Nicole swerved her car, making a U-turn as fast as she could. Her heart raced as she prayed that the kitten would still be there when she returned. Moments felt like hours as she fought the traffic to get back to the bridge. Finally, she pulled over as safely as she could on the busy highway, her hands trembling as she scanned the edge of the bridge. Her heart soared with relief when she spotted the small, terrified creature still clinging to the edge of the abyss.
With an adrenaline-fueled determination, Nicole cautiously approached the kitten. She was aware of the height and the potential for the frightened feline to jump, but she knew she had to act quickly. Her sole purpose was to save this fragile life.
“I slowly approached her because I was afraid of heights,” Toni later recounted, “and I was afraid she would jump. I just wanted to make sure I got really close to her so I could hug her from behind. That way, if she fell off the bridge, I could try to catch her.”
Nicole’s heart pounded in her chest as she inched closer. Her trembling hands reached out as she tried to calm her own racing thoughts. Then, in a moment of extraordinary courage, she grabbed the kitten by the scruff of its neck. With a firm grip, she immobilized the little cat, just like cat moms carry their young. During the entire rescue, the kitten barely moved a muscle. It was clearly scared, but it seemed to understand that Nicole was there to help.
“She didn’t hiss, she didn’t scratch; I think she was too scared to move,” Nicole said. With the rescued kitten held securely in her arms, Nicole carefully backed away from the edge of the bridge and made her way back to her car.
It’s been a few months since the rescue, and the kitten, affectionately named “Ducky” for her incredible bridge balancing act, has settled into her new home.”
