Cat Who Survived Tenn. Tornado Saved from Debris After Rescuer Spots Pet 'Curled Up on a Pillow' (Exclusive)

Orange and white cat Sandy has been reunited with his family and is now recovering at home after his vet bills were covered by donations

Sandy the cat is back with his family after surviving a tornado thanks to sharp-eyed rescuers.

According to WKRN, one of the multiple tornadoes that roared through Tennessee on Dec. 9 and 10 — extreme weather that killed at least six people — destroyed an orange and white cat’s home in Madison while his family was away.

On Dec. 10, Erica Williams, a Good Samaritan who is “passionate about helping animals,” was “scrolling through social media looking for areas that were affected by the tornado” and ways she could help people and pets affected by the disasters, she told PEOPLE .

“After a tornado, I search the neighborhood to get water or food. I also help search for missing people and animals,” explains Williams.

During her search, Williams found a video recently posted by her friend Ricky Sessum, who was helping with search and rescue efforts in Madison.

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Sessum told PEOPLE in a statement that he posted the video on social media to “show the devastation” in an effort to “get more volunteer help in the area.”

When Williams saw the video, she noticed something out of place among the debris in Sessum’s video.

“I noticed what looked like an animal curled up on a pillow. I took a screenshot of his video and zoomed in. Sure enough, it was a kitten curled up on a pillow in the rubble,” Williams recalls of what she saw in Sessum’s video. “I started frantically messaging him on all social media and texting him hoping he was still there.”

Sandy the cat is curled up on a pillow after surviving a tornado in Madison, Tennessee.

Courtesy of Ricky Sessum

Fortunately, Sessum was still in the area and received Williams’ messages. After seeing her notes about the cat, he returned to where he took the video “and found Sandy half-buried in the rubble.”

Sessum told Williams he had a cat and moved the cat into his truck to keep the pet warm.

“That’s when I dropped everything I was doing and went to get the cat and take him to the vet. I love animals and I could never know that an animal might be hurt or need help and sit on the sidelines and do nothing,” Williams says of her reaction to Sessum’s news.

Sandy the Cat with Ricky Sessum.

Courtesy of Ricky Sessum

“When I got there, Sandy was curled up in a ball in Ricky’s truck. He wasn’t moving at the time and was breathing shallowly. I put some food in front of his nose and that gave him a little pep,” she adds.

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After taking the cat from Sessum, Williams says she “loved” the cat moments before taking him to Livewell’s Animal Urgent Care at the vet.

While Williams took the cat for treatment, Sessum posted about the cat on the area’s lost and missing pet social media. It didn’t take Sandy’s owner Aba long to identify her pet. Sessum put her in touch with Williams, who confirmed that Abi was Sandy’s owner, then told the pet parent that Sandy was stable and receiving care at an animal hospital.

Thanks to some quick thinking by Williams and Sessum, Abi was reunited with Sandy at Livewell Animal Urgent Care. Sandy received treatment at an animal hospital for several health issues, but is now “back to her family,” according to Williams.

Williams adds that Livewell Animal Urgent Care covered the cost of Sandy’s X-rays, and she helped raise money to cover the cat’s remaining medical expenses. Williams also helped collect donations for Sandy’s family, who lost their home to the tornado that spared their pet.

Sandy the cat at the vet after his rescue after the tornado in Madison, Tennessee.

Courtesy of Erica Williams

“I couldn’t imagine one of my babies in the rubble and out in the cold, waiting for someone to find them,” says Williams, a parent of two cats, about what inspired her to help, adding, “It was the right thing to do.”

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For animal lovers who want to help pets affected by the Tennessee tornadoes, Williams recommends donating to Nashville Humane and Livewell Animal Urgent Care, which has a fund to help cover medical expenses for pets in need.

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Source: HIS Education