Heroic Woman Rescues Kitten Thrown from Truck, Nurses It Back to Health

In May of this year, Tarynn Byrum, a North Carolina resident, was at work when a coworker informed her that he had witnessed a man in a work truck throw a kitten into a storm gutter in their parking lot. Byrum immediately rushed outside and found the tiny, orange tabby kitten lying in the gutter, barely bigger than her hand.

Byrum quickly scooped up the kitten, which she noticed was in poor condition - exhausted, filthy with matted fur, and suffering from a severe flea infestation. She brought the kitten inside, kept it in a cardboard box for the rest of her workday, and then drove 45 minutes to the nearest emergency veterinary clinic, where she stayed until 1 a.m. as the kitten underwent tests.

After the initial evaluation, Byrum took the kitten, whom she named Nugget, home. While she initially planned to foster Nugget and find him a permanent home, she quickly fell in love with the resilient feline and decided to adopt him. Nugget has since made a full recovery, though he does have a low-grade heart murmur. The biggest challenge was getting rid of his severe flea problem, which Byrum was able to resolve through diligent treatment and cleaning.

Now a healthy, happy, and almost full-sized 5-month-old cat, Nugget has settled into his new forever home with Byrum, who says she was immediately attached to the kitten and feels it was meant to be. Despite his ordeal, Nugget has a bright future ahead, thanks to Byrum's heroic actions and compassionate care.