14-year-old risked his life to save cat thrown from a van onto a busy overpass

This is the story of a cat who was the victim of animal cruelty and the young man who risked his life to save the feline in distress.

Gavin and Lucky (Erin Brown)
Two useful tags. Click either to see the articles: Toxic to cats | Dangers to cats

14-year-old Gavin Orlowski was riding in the car on I-196 in Grand Rapids, Michigan with his mom, Erin Brown back on February 12 on the way to a birthday party when the unthinkable happened. The van in front of them tossed a cat out a window from a busy overpass. As Erin brought the car to a stop, Gavin jumped out of the car and signaled traffic around them to stop so he could rescue the cat.

In an interview with Love Meow, Erin describes what her son went through to save the cat, now dubbed Lucky (he got his name because Gavin thought the cat “lucky” not be hit by a car).

“In shock watching the cat slam the pavement and scurry all over the highway, he ran to the overpass right by me and jumped on top of the overpass about to jump down. Not sure which I’m in more shock of, the cat being thrown out a window of a moving vehicle on 196 or my son flying out of my car onto the highway and diving into an overpass to rescue a cat.”

Lucky lost all of his claws from gripping the pavement (75% of his body was literally hanging off of the overpass bridge) during his traumatic ordeal. A friend recommended taking Lucky to BluePearl Animal Hospital, where he was treated and given medication for pain, which also included an injury to his back.

Best friends (Erin Brown)

Gavin and Lucky bonded immediately and is recovering well in his new home. Yes, the family decided to adopt Lucky!

Not only did Lucky find a forever family, but a good Samaritan who is a Facebook friend of Erin’s heard the story and offered to pay a large portion of Lucky’s medical expenses. Gavin also contributed the $63 he’d saved up to help pay the remaining balance.

Erin says Lucky is well aware that Gavin saved him, and he’s the sweetest cat she ever met.

Before rescuing Lucky, Gavin had stated he wanted to work with animals and be a veterinarian when he grows up. His career goals are stronger than ever after saving his new best friend.

Unfortunately, the low-life who dumped Lucky drove away.

Please click here to view a video of Lucky with his new family.

Elisa

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6 thoughts on “14-year-old risked his life to save cat thrown from a van onto a busy overpass”

  1. I, too, had a “Lucky”. His full name was Mr. Lucky Buck-no special reason I just liked the sound of the name. He was rescued from an apartment complex after getting away from some dogs and a few ugly humans. I jumped back into my truck and raced to my vet crying all the way. When they asked me what I wanted to do I just cried more and said “Fix him”. He spent a couple of weeks in the hospital, and came home looking a bit beaten up, but with such a big purr. My husband asked why I named him Mr Lucky Buck, and our daughter (who was about 3) piped up and said “Because it cost a lot of bucks to save his lucky body.” I was able to show my husband that most of the cost was given by the hospital, as a thank you for bringing all our pets to them and also sending friends to them. Mr. Lucky Buck lived to the age of 17 years.

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  2. We have a Lucky we named because he almost died from a URI. His sister did die a few hours before we were to rescue her.

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  3. What a story! I know how the boy felt. I may have written about this here before but I also saved a cat on a busy highway who was also probably thrown from a car minutes before, as it was unlikely the tiny girl ended up there on her own. I mention it again because I named her lucky too. What a coincidence. We were also friends for life.

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    • Great job Albert. If I was involved in an attempted cat rescue from a highway and the cat was killed it would leave me traumatised.

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