NAPLES, Fla. – As Hurricane Ian plowed through Florida’s Gulf Coast, Michael Ross waded into rising floodwaters to save a furry friend in distress, prompting a viral video and thousands of dollars in donations.
As the storm arrived, Ross, 29, was with his family in Bonita Springs, he said. That’s when he saw the endangered kitten.
“We expected it to be flooded out, so we evacuated there to Bonita Beach where my parents live, right on the beach,” Ross said. “We were there when storm surge was up about 6 feet.”
Ross said he and his family looked out the window and saw the cat clinging on for its life.
