Family Frozen In Shock As They Watch Their Cat Float Away On The Roof In North Carolina

When a hurricane tore through Western North Carolina, the destruction it left behind was staggering.

Homes vanished beneath floodwaters, families were forced to evacuate, and whole neighborhoods faced losses they never saw coming.

For the Collins family, the storm’s damage cut even deeper. Their house was wiped out, their possessions lost, but the most painful moment was watching their cherished cat, Blanco, being carried off by the raging flood.

Blanco hadn’t always been theirs. Just a few months earlier, he was a stray searching for a safe spot to call home.

Camille and David Collins first found Blanco hiding in their compost bin. They instantly fell for this sweet little guy, and before long, their family grew from eight to nine.

Blanco fit right in with life on their farm. He roamed freely among the five RVs parked on their land and made his rounds to visit each family member throughout the day, always checking in.

Then, everything shifted. A hurricane struck suddenly, growing stronger far faster than anyone expected.

Within hours, their peaceful farm was overtaken by the storm. Floodwaters surged quickly, turning their land into a chaotic scene of destruction.

At the time, only David’s mother Nan and his brother Jonathon were home, scrambling to move what they could to safety. But Blanco was nowhere to be found.

Suddenly, a flash of white caught their eyes. Blanco was perched on the roof of an RV, watching the water rise around him.

Before they could do anything, the RV broke loose and was swept away by the flood, like a toy drifting down a furious river.

Blanco held on desperately as it crashed into their neighbor’s house. But he lost his grip and disappeared beneath the water.

Jonathon raced toward the flood, desperate to catch sight of Blanco, but downed power lines blocked his way. Helpless, he could only watch as the flood carried Blanco out of sight.

Days passed as the family focused on trying to salvage what was left of their home. Then, eight days later, something unbelievable happened.

Jonathon spotted something moving through the debris. At first, he thought he must be imagining it, until he heard the unmistakable meow. Blanco was alive.

The little cat stood frozen on the roof of their ruined barn, unsure what to do next. Nan brought some treats and spent an hour coaxing him closer.

Slowly, Blanco inched forward and finally jumped down. Camille later shared in an interview:

“He eventually came to the roof of our barn wreckage, and once Nan was able to pet him, he closed his eyes and purred as if it was his first time being pet.”

Camille and David rushed back to the farm with their kids, and Blanco welcomed them with the same warmth and love as if he’d never left.

Though the road to rebuilding their farm is long and the storm’s scars still visible, one thing is clear: the flood may have taken a lot from them, but it did not take away their hope.

Blanco is safe and right where he belongs. For the Collins family, that’s all that matters, enough to keep moving forward.