Man Hears Squeaky Sounds From Storm Drain In Arizona, What He Finds Leaves Him Stunned
It was just another ordinary day in Arizona when something unexpected stopped one guy right in his tracks. Something small, fluffy, and in desperate need of help.
Nicholas, a 28-year-old guy with a soft spot for animals, especially cats, was setting up security cameras at an apartment complex when he heard a weird sound.
At first, he thought it was a bird. But something about it felt… off.
The noise seemed to be coming from somewhere beyond the property’s fence. But as he moved closer, he realized the cries were echoing up from a drain right at the parking lot.
Definitely not the place you’d expect to find a little life waiting to be saved.
He peered down into the dark pipe and saw the tiniest little face staring back up at him. A kitten. Trapped, scared, and alone.
With no time to waste, Nicholas jumped into action. His coworker made sure to block off that part of the lot so no one would drive through, and Nicholas started working to lift the heavy grate.
But rescuing a kitten from a pipe isn’t as easy as it sounds. The poor baby kept darting back every time he got close.
They spent nearly an hour like that, trying to coax her out gently, hoping she’d trust them enough to come a little closer. But every time she peeked out, she’d get spooked and run back into the pipe.
Finally, Nicholas decided to go all in, literally.
He slid himself headfirst into the drain, used a piece of cardboard to block off the pipe so she couldn’t escape deeper in, and carefully reached out to grab her.
And just like that, the two of them were out.
The kitten, a fluffy little black puffball, clung to Nicholas the whole ride to the pet store. She was so hungry and clingy, as he shared on Reddit:
“Not sure how long it was down there, but (she?) was certainly hungry. Kept trying to suck on my shirt and my beard the whole way to the pet store.”
It was clear that this baby had been down there a while and was craving comfort just as much as food.
Nicholas snapped a few sweet photos of her on the way as she was curled up on his shoulder, munched at the food bowl, and finally rested on a cozy blanket.
He later posted them on Reddit, where thousands of fellow cat lovers showered him with love for saving this precious soul.
People couldn’t stop calling him a hero, and honestly? They weren’t wrong. Not every day someone crawls into a storm drain in the middle of a work shift to save a life.
But Nicholas stayed humble. He gave credit to his company, Bay Alarm, for letting him take the time to rescue her, and even take the next day off to care for her.
That kind of support meant a lot to him. Most jobs wouldn’t have been so understanding, and he knew it.
As the days went by, the tiny black kitten began to thrive. With good food and a lot of love, she blossomed into a healthy, curious little ball of fluff.
Nicholas made sure she was checked by a vet. Turns out, she was about six weeks old, free of worms, and tested negative for FIV and leukemia. She even started her first kitten vaccine.
But Nicholas knew he couldn’t keep her forever. He already shared his space with a big fish tank, some shrimp tanks, and another cat, and he didn’t want to push the limits with the family he rented from.
Still, he wanted to be absolutely sure she ended up somewhere safe and loving. And she did.
A sweet couple reached out to adopt her. They spent time chatting with Nicholas, meeting in person, and building trust.
When the time came to say goodbye, it wasn’t easy. Nicholas admitted he cried as soon as he got there, sharing on Reddit:
“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t immediately start crying when I got there knowing we had to part ways, but I’m so grateful for the help I received in this situation… They named her Stella before anyone asks.”
Now, Stella’s off living her best kitten life in a forever home filled with love, thanks to one big-hearted guy who didn’t walk away when he heard a strange little cry in a parking lot.
