Two families gathered for a Thanksgiving vacation, ready to enjoy snowy adventures together. Little did they know, an unexpected guest would join them and change their holiday and their hearts forever.
Here is how it happened.
Thanksgiving morning had started with the usual buzz of laughter and shouts from kids playing in the snow. But then one of them spotted something in the distance – a lifeless little kitten partially buried in the snow.
They quickly called their dad, Justin, and he hurried over, followed by his wife. Soon, the rest of the family and friends crowded around, murmuring anxiously about whether the kitten they’d found was alive.
The tiny creature looked completely still, its fur dusted with frost, and its eyes frozen open. Justin bent down to take a closer look.
At first, he thought the poor thing was gone. But then he noticed something – something faint, almost imperceptible. Maybe there was still a chance.
Without wasting a moment, Justin started gently pressing on the cat’s chest, attempting to mimic CPR.
His movements were careful but persistent, even though he wasn’t sure he was doing it right, as he shared in a YouTube video:
“His eyes were frozen open. And I just started to do these gentle chest compressions. Truth be told, I didn’t even know if I was doing it right.”
Justin’s friend Branden stood beside him, watching as he worked tirelessly to revive the little one. Some family members, including Justin’s dad, looked on with skepticism. They thought the effort was pointless and gently told Justin to stop.
But Justin refused to give up. He remained focused on the fragile life in front of him.
Minutes turned into what felt like an eternity. Nearly an hour and a half had passed when, against all odds, the little cat suddenly gasped.
It was faint and weak, but it was unmistakably a breath. Life had returned to the tiny kitten, as Justin shared:
“After about an hour and a half of pumping his chest, he just takes this gentle inhale. So I yell at everybody to come back… He’s alive!”
They quickly fetched a towel and wrapped the kitten up, holding it close to keep it warm.
Once inside their vacation home, the family created a makeshift recovery space in a bathtub lined with blankets. They offered the little one water and small bits of food, watching anxiously for any signs of improvement.
The little cat was barely clinging to life. He was so frail and terrified that it couldn’t even lift its head.
But over the next few hours, his breathing became steadier, and his pupils started to respond. Slowly but surely, the once-lifeless kitten began to recover.
As the holiday break came to an end, the families had to decide where the kitten would stay. Justin already had two cats at home, and it was clear this little one, still timid and fragile, needed a calm and quiet space to recover fully.
That’s when Branden and his family offered to take the tiny survivor home and give him the care he needed.
On the drive back, the kitten nestled into the arms of Branden’s wife and purred softly. It didn’t take long for the family to fall head over heels for him.
The adjustment to his new life wasn’t easy for the kitten, now named Lazarus. Loud noises and sudden movements made him skittish, and he spent most of his time hiding. But Branden’s family was patient and over time, they earned his trust.
He started exploring more, sitting with the kids during meals, and even curling up beside them. It was clear he was learning what it meant to feel safe and loved, as Branden shared:
“It was baby steps for him. It was like each new thing he did was letting us know he feels comfortable with us. He got less nervous, ’cause he got to know the family a little more.”
Each family member played a unique role in Lazarus’s life, forming bonds that grew as he did. But the sweetest bond was that between Lazarus and Hazy, the youngest in the family.
She was just a newborn when he arrived, and they seemed to trust each other instantly. Lazarus would gently lick her head, and Hazy loved it.
Once, the family found him perched on her crib, peeking in like he was checking on her. The two had grown up together – Hazy, the baby, and Lazarus, the little furry baby who got a second chance.
Lazarus’s transformation was nothing short of incredible. He went from a fragile, lifeless kitten in the snow to a vibrant, curious cat, and a cherished member of the family.
Looking at him now, it’s almost impossible to imagine how close he came to not making it. But he didn’t just survive – he thrived, growing stronger and more confident each day.
In his loving forever home, it feels like he’s exactly where he was always meant to be!
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