In Destin, Florida, boat captain Jordan Smith went fishing and returned with more than he bargained for. While at sea, he saved the life of a cat that had been tossed off a bridge.
On his way to fish offshore, Jordan frequently traveled beneath the Marler Bridge with his boat, ‘Let’s Fish Destin’. The captain noted that people often threw things off the rails. This behavior is partly how waste enters the ocean.
True to form, Jordan went fishing at sea on a sunny day. As he sailed beneath the Marler Bridge, the captain noticed a man tossing something into the sea. Despite his disapproval of this conduct, Jordan continued his trip until he saw something.
In his interview with NWF Daily News, Smith said:
“I saw something out of the corner of my eye. I saw movement. Then I heard splat! Splat! I thought someone had thrown garbage”.
Jordan drew nearer and realized it wasn’t trash but a black cat. The animal was begging for assistance. A shocked Jordan retrieved the cat from the water with a net.
He drove his boat toward the beach but pounded the deck twice before he docked because he worried about the cat’s condition. Thankfully, there was no harm.
A successful rescue
According to Animal Channel, Jordan went to HarborWalk once he was on the beach. Then, he took the cat to one of his friends, Nicole Manard.
He explained what had happened and pleaded with her to watch over his young protégé while he finished fishing. Jordan didn’t have to insist; Nicole was delighted to care for the cat.
Nicole took the feline to the veterinarian the next day, the professional examined the cat and identified her as female and because she was weak, he kept an eye on her.
Upon returning from the charter, Jordan picked the puss up. He decided their encounter was no coincidence; hence he adopted the rescued cat. He aptly named her Miracle.
On Facebook, Jordan shared his special day’s events and pictures of his new cat Miracle, thousands have shared his tale since it first went viral.
Some Internet users were moved by the captain’s gesture and the cat’s situation and hurried to send food, toys, and money. In response Jordan shared:
“It definitely has been an experience. I definitely wasn’t expecting all the hype for something that should have done to begin with.”
Miracle found a great home and a caring family. The rescued feline even learned to appreciate Jordan’s Husky-German shepherd hybrid, Aspen, even though cohabitation was tricky initially.
Police are searching for the individual who threw Miracle off the bridge, but they have not yet succeeded.