It was getting darker and darker by the minute yesterday when a neighbor started a Facebook Live video to try to get help for a stranded kitten. After more than 1,000 shares, a small businessman dropped everything to come out and save the day.
Neighbors in Springfield, Missouri, gathered below the huge tree, including Jayson Maloney who started reporting from the scene on Facebook.
The day started when Miss Betty, 91, heard the cat calling out in distress from her tree. Betty didn’t know whose cat it was, but she and her neighbor Maloney called the fire department and other tree services, who all declined to help. The cat’s owners eventually arrived. The couple had adopted the cat from the local Pets Way during the pandemic, and named it Cheese.
“It’s going to take a village to do this,” said Maloney, who launched a trending hashtag #SaveCheese. “Cat lives matter,” he joked with the Facebook audience.
Then, Edgar arrived in a red pickup truck from Four Seasons Tree Service and hoisted a tall ladder to begin climbing the tree attached to a harness.
Maloney urged people on Facebook to leave 5-star reviews for Edgar and Four Seasons, who “risked their lives” to save the one-year-old kitten, who was now frantically meowing from all the commotion.
As Edgar was closing in on Cheese, a rainbow appeared in the sky, and clouds looked to be clearing.
Once back on the ground, Edgar was hailed a hero—but he refusing to take any tips or money. “It’s not about that,” he said.
Even more amazing was the fact that Edgar said the tree company is back-logged with jobs for the next five months, but they took the time to assist some neighbors worried about a pet.
