Hi friends.

I’m Louise Crooks, good friend and neighbor to Michelle Aldredge.

You’ll likely already know that she’s not only an excellent human being, but she’s one of the most community-minded people I know.

And right now, she could really use our help due to two badly-timed freak accidents.

Merle, her kitty, was attacked by a bobcat!

AND she had a freak accident which totaled her car!

Talk about bad luck!

If you know Michelle, you probably know of her adventure cat, Merle (adopted from a Nashville shelter as a kitten during Covid).

To keep him — and the birds — safe, she leash-trained Merle as a kitten so they can enjoy the great New Hampshire outdoors together. He now joins her on supervised walks and hikes, exploring the woods, climbing trees, running through fields, and even following her snowboot tracks in winter.

Here are some pics of Merle living his best life before the attack… Isn’t he the cutest?)

After a recent walk, as Michelle stepped inside to grab a cup of coffee —the worst thing happened. Merle was attacked by a bobcat right beside her house!

Luckily, Merle got away! (Phew.) But not before suffering deep gashes that required immediate emergency vet care.

Look at this poor guy!

(Well, I don’t have to tell you what a visit to an emergency vet will set you back.)

Thankfully Merle is well on the mend, but Michelle’s bank account is not.

The timing couldn’t have been worse. A couple of weeks prior to Merle’s injury, Michelle had a freak car accident courtesy of a deep pot hole and a blown tire, launching her car into a tree on a dirt road (in Hancock).

Thank goodness Michelle was okay. But her 2021 low-mileage Subaru Crosstrek was totaled.

Unfortunately, the car still had a significant loan on it, and the sadly small amount Michelle ended up with to buy another vehicle from the insurance, immediately went to Merle’s giant vet bill!

It’s crucial that Michelle finds a reliable, affordable used car to get her back and forth to work asap. Though she works full-time and does freelance work on the side, she can’t take on a car loan right now.

As someone living on her own, these back-to-back emergencies have been financially devastating. She’s an independent, private person, so I know that asking for help doesn’t come easily to her. But we have all experienced hard phases in life — stresses that are simply too big to manage alone.

Michelle is one of those friends who’s always helping others (people, pets, and wildlife alike!). I’m asking her friends and community to rally for her, just as she’s done for us through the years.

Even a small contribution will make a big difference in helping her cover Merle’s vet bills, get back on the road, and tackle some looming medical expenses of her own.

One last favor — if you know someone who knows her, who needs to see this, please pass on this link (preferably through an email or text). It would be most appreciated.

So from myself, Michelle, and Merle, we thank you!