Throughout the week, our ACC Team searches through emails and news articles looking for someone who deserves to be the Hero of the Week… Find out how you can nominate a Hero of the Week at the bottom of the page.
We’ve covered plenty of hero dog stories, even a landmine sniffing hero rat – but what about a cat? Meet Billy, a seven-year-old feline, who saved his owner’s life by jumping on her chest and meowing as loud as he could.
Sam Felstead, a 42-year-old in Nottinghamshire, England, suffered a heart attack while sleeping at home. Billy, who is typically a loner and not a lap cat or the kind of cat that likes cuddles, woke Sam up by jumping on her chest and meowing. When Sam woke up, she couldn’t move and knew something was wrong. Luckily, she was able to yell for her mother who called an ambulance.
Doctors said that waking up when she did and getting to the hospital as quickly as she did saved her life. Sam underwent an angioplasty and stayed in the hospital for three days. She’s now on medication and back to work. As for Billy, he’s back to acting like his aloof self again.
Animal behaviorists believe Billy sensed the physiology changes in Sam and that caused him anxiety, leading the cat to act and wake Sam up. Whatever it was, Sam says she’s happy Billy was there!
For more on this story, check out the coverage from People.
—
Suzanne’s Response:
Well, Billy boy, nice job! It’s amazing how animals can sense when we’re in distress… Billy, the cat, you are our ACC Hero of the Week!
Nominate a Hero of the Week
Now, we want to know who has made a difference in your life. Nominate a local firefighter, police officer, EMT or someone who is serving our country in the military. It could even be a neighbor, family member or friend who lent a crucial helping hand. Let us know all about the person who you feel is a real life hero by emailing us here and please feel free to send us a picture!