Kentucky Tornado
Starting on the night of December 10, at least 59 twisters ripped through ten states of Kentucky, a swarm unheard of two weeks before winter. The storm produced a twister with a swath of damage of more than 165 kilometres. It struck many households causing grave damage for many families.
One such case was from Mayfield, Kentucky where Sonny Gibson had to vacate and seek refuge with his family. However, they couldn’t check whether their nine-year-old cat has gotten somewhere safe or not.
Office Cat
Maddox is a solid black ‘office’ cat. He would spend his days sitting at the entrance of the office and greeting the customers.
He would gaze out of the window and watch people walk by. Maddox was loved by many people in Mayfield. But the tornado was about to change everything.
Worst Fear
Gibson, who owns a business on W. Broadway waited out the tornado to pass by. The destruction left behind was tremendous with lives lost and livelihood wiped out. The tornado completely destroyed the office building. So, he feared the worst.
He was terrified that Maddox might have died in the storm, but something told him that his cat was out there somewhere. For several days, the family searched the area as best they could to rescue their beloved Maddox.
Shimmering Hope
The tornado had wreaked havoc in many states of Kentucky on 10 December. It killed at least 89 people, making it Kentucky’s deadliest storm ever recorded.
Several people also lost pets, but Gibson’s cat wasn’t one of them.
Cleanup After the Storm
Gibson and his four children spent the days following the storm helping with cleanup. Gibson said he believes due to all the noise from the cleanup efforts, they couldn't hear Maddox meowing.
After two or three days, Gibsons had given up hope after a few days of no luck and feared that their four-legged companion had died in the experience.
Giving Up
Many pets were swept away by the storm too far from home, and their owners feared they were gone for good. Gibson didn't want to think about the worst-case scenario, but he was starting to panic.
Days had passed since the tornado hit and Maddox was still missing. Gibson was seriously considering giving up on continuing his searches through the rubble. He hadn’t heard anything about Maddox from any of his friends and employees. But everyone was in for one big surprise.
The Sound
On December 19, more than a week after the tornado hit, Gibson said he was going through the rubble by himself, sitting near the area where his desk used to be when he heard a sound.
He thought his mind of playing tricks on him so he yelled the cat's name. And there again, he heard the sound.
Search
The sound was barely audible. It instantly gave him hope that his office cat, Madix, who hadn't been seen since before the storms hit, was alive.
Gibson couldn't properly locate from where it was coming. So he called some of his employees to help in the search.
Finally Found Him
Two of the employees arrived and they helped Gibson to look for Maddox through the rubbles. Soon they found the source.
Maddox was found in a pocket among the debris. He was unharmed but scared and shaking.
Taking Care
Maddox was sent to Gibson's house, where he ate three bowls of food and drank a whole bowl of water.
A veterinarian examined him and determined that Maddox was in good health.
Nine Lives Of Cats
Gibson later said, “If cats actually have nine lives, he probably used up about eight of them in that nine-day period.”
He felt incredible and relived holding Maddox in his arms. He needed caring but he was unharmed. Gibson felt extremely lucky.
House Cat
Maddox, the black ‘office’ cat, will now live out the rest of his life as a house cat. His survival story is getting popular around Mayfield, a town where the horrible tornado destroyed huge sections of the community.
It was a miracle among a series of tragedies.
Purpose
Gibson further commented, "It's a blessing for people to hear the story so they can take that and realize that great things can come out of terrible situations.”
“If it's uplifting to one person, then Madix has served his purpose on this planet."
Symbol Of Hope
Maddox became a symbol of hope in the small town of Mayfield giving reason to people to keep moving forward.
A similar miracle was seen again in Mayfield where Marissa Ortega lost touch with two of her three pets during the tornado. But the pets found their way back to her in a few days.
Survivor
Maddox is getting comfortable at the Gibson house and is “back to his ornery self,” as per Gibson.
Surely, he will be missed at the office but for now, Maddox is a house cat. A brave survivor.