Truck Driver Bursts into Tears When Reunited with Lost Cat After 5 Months

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Matthew and his cat, Ashes, had been the best of friends since the moment they met.

Matthew is a truck driver and Ashes had routinely been Matthew’s co-pilot companion on many cross-country road trips.

The two were inseparable and shared a special bond having traveled countless miles together.

It wasn’t until one day that a routine trip suddenly went south.

Ashes and Matthew were traveling through Springfield, OH one summer when they stopped at a convenience store. 

Ashes unexpectedly slipped out of the truck into the store parking lot.

Frightened and confused, Ashes ran into the nearby bushes and disappeared.

Heartbroken But Not Hopeless

Matthew was devastated.

He searched everywhere for his traveling companion but couldn’t find him.

It broke Mathew’s heart to leave without Ashes, but he had no choice.

However, he wasn’t ready to give up.

Matthew was determined to find his best friend.

He restructured his routes frequently in the following months so he could come back to the same spot and continue to search for Ashes.

But each time, he’d leave the convenience store empty handed with an Ashes-shaped hole in his heart.

An Unexpected Discovery

Fast forward 5 months later.

A woman named Kimberly was moving back to New York from the west coast. 

She made a short stop at the same convenience store in Ohio.

As she was returning to her car when she noticed a slender gray cat peeking through the bushes.

It was freezing outside. No cat should be outside in 13 degree weather.

Kimberly could tell the cat was seeking attention and desperately needed help. 

“He was trying to not put his feet down on the ground, it was so cold,” Kimberly explained in a blog post.

Safe & Warm

After asking around for anyone who may have lost a gray cat, Kimberly was feared for his safety and knew he couldn’t be left out in the cold. 

She picked him up and welcomed him to a nice warm blanket in her car.

Kimberly named him “Smokey” and took him to New York with her. 

She was familiar with a local rescue called Lollypop Farms in the Rochester area and knew they would be able to help. 

What she didn’t know was that “Smokey” was already an expert traveler…

Microchips Save Lives!

Once they arrived at Lollypop Farms, they checked “Smokey” for a microchip.

The cat was in fact microchipped!

The chip’s information said that he was registered with an owner in Texas.

Kimberly had accidentally found Matthews cat, Ashes!

When Matthew was contacted with the news, he was overwhelmed with joy. 

He was so relieved to know that his beloved Ashes was safe and receiving treatment in Rochester, NY. 

Matthew was in Arkansas at the time and changed his driving schedule to make his way to New York.

What happened when he arrived brought tears to everyone’s eyes…

Reunited and It Feels So Good

A little over a week after Ashes arrived at Lollypop Farms, it was time for him and Matthew to be reunited.

Matthew’s truck stopped in front of the rescue, he walked inside, and locked eyes with Ashes.

Ashes undoubtedly recognized him. 

He leaped right into Matthews arms and started cuddling his dad.  

“I had been thinking about Ashes every day,” said Matthew.

Kimberly was proud to be a part of the reunion.

She wasn’t surprised to find out Ashes was a trucker cat.

After all, Ashes was a wonderful and well behaved companion to her on the way to New York.

Witnessing the beautiful reunion between Matthew and Ashes brought tears to everyone’s eyes.

This was truly Matthew’s Christmas miracle!

On the Road Again

Ashes received a new name tag, collar, and harness from the Lollypop Farm gift shop to enjoy on new adventures with his dad.

As they approached the 18-wheeler, Ashes leapt straight from Matthews arms into the truck and settled right back in his favorite spot.  

He made himself right at home as if he’d never left.

Matthew wants to remind everyone to microchip their pets.

Had it not been for a microchip, Matthew would have never seen Ashes again.

This is also a healthy reminder for the public to always have stray animals checked for microchips.

You never know if a stray animal is actually someone’s missing pet.

Simply take the animal to a local vet and they’ll scan them for free.

Alternatively, you can purchase your own microchip scanner from Amazon.

Microchips have reunited thousands of pets with their owners.

Microchipping your pet along with checking other animals for microchips could save so many lives!

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