AN AMANZIMTOTI couple who were headed towards the Durban CBD rescued a defenceless kitten stranded in the middle of the highway on February 1.

Also read: [Video] Disabled woman experiences the beach

Gustav and Michelle Greyling’s Saturday was a mundane morning until they spotted a cat while driving, and upon closer inspection, noticed it was a kitten just sitting on the white line in the middle of the bustling highway.

“It was on a bridge, so there are no emergency lanes. I put my hazards on to pull up close to the off-ramp around a kilometre up the road. I quickly jumped out. I don’t know how far I ran, but I got there and I was standing in the lane with the kitten. She was sitting in the second fastest lane, probably terrified to cross over. The cars were flying past and the trucks were going over her. The cars were trying to avoid her. The wind from the trucks blew her over. I was going across with my hands up the whole way and then I picked her up and the traffic started slowing down, even the fast lanes. I quickly put her in my shirt because I wanted her to at least feel some comfort,” said Gustav.

His wife, Michelle, said she was crying since he left the car and for hours after because of her state of shock and worry. She explained that when her husband ran, he was not even within her vision anymore.

Michelle said, “I still hate that image in my head – she had saliva coming out of her mouth and there was a lot of blood. Gustav checked if she had any broken bones, gently feeling around and judging by her reaction. She was fine. Her eye and ear had a mark, as well as above her head and on the back of her legs as well. Her hind joints were open. We bought a blanket for her because we were already headed to the linen factory, and wrapped her in a blanket. We then took her to the vet. They said it’s nothing too serious, and that she was in a state of shock which she would get out of in about 12 hours. She’s alive and well now, running around, jumping on the dogs. I had to syringe feed her from Saturday to Sunday, and by Monday, she started eating on her own.”

The couple, who have been together for seven years, are both work-from-home online teachers, and have always been animal people, caring for several rescues at their home, including dogs, cats, a few exotics including a sugar glider, a chinchilla and a rabbit.

“She’s tiny, but she’s mighty – that’s why we named her Aria, because it represents her strength, and in Hebrew, means ‘lioness’ which is so fitting for her. I wasn’t planning on keeping another animal. As soon as I held her in my arms in the car, though, I knew I’d never let anything bad happen to her. That’s the story of Aria, and one day I can tell my kids, and my grandkids what Gustav did. I know in his mind it wasn’t heroic, but I see it as something that can inspire someone else, you know, to step up for those who can’t speak for themselves, to have compassion for helpless creatures,” concluded Michelle.

Do you have more information pertaining to this story? Feel free to let us know by commenting on our Facebook page or you can contact our newsroom at 031 903 2341 and speak to a journalist.