Hi everyone,

I never expected my week-long drill to turn into a rescue mission. On my way to the armory early Saturday morning, I almost ran over what I thought was debris in the middle of the road — until I realized it was moving.

I threw on my hazards, put the car in reverse, and found a tiny kitten lying there — alive, but with one badly damaged hind leg. I called one of my Soldiers and asked them to find the nearest emergency vet while I got her off the road and into my car.

The vets think she may have fallen from the undercarriage or wheel well of a moving vehicle and gotten run over. Despite the trauma, she was still purring beside me on the way to the clinic. She’s a fighter.

The emergency vet did what they could to stabilize her, but the injury is beyond their capacity. She needs surgery and specialized care at a full-service animal hospital in Winter Haven. The total cost for surgery and recovery is estimated around $8,000.

I’ve named her Molly Saint Short-Round — after Molly Pitcher, the Revolutionary War heroine who carried water to soldiers under fire, Saint Barbara, the patron saint of the Field Artillery, and short round, because she’ll be missing a leg but not her fighting spirit.

I know there are a lot of needs in the world, but if you can spare anything to help me give Molly a chance to live — to run, play, and just be a kitten again — I’d be so grateful. Every dollar helps, and so does sharing her story.

She’s already survived the impossible. Let’s help her finish the fight.

❤️

— Lisabeth

Note: Molly received treatment/surgery at Veterinary Healthcare Associates in Winter Haven, FL. She’s peacefully recovering at home now and will go in for a follow up in 14 days.