A cat apparently saved a little Pennsylvania boy's life by getting hit by a bullet, and is now considered a hero.
WPMT reports that Thursday a stray bullet went through a window in the York home of Angelica Sipe, as she was watching TV.
"It took me a second to realize what just happened," said Sipe. "The first thing I did was check on my son and he was sound asleep. Then I saw my cat on the floor and that's when I realized my cat was shot."
The stray bullet reportedly went in the couch and then hit Opie, who happened to lie there. "It came in the top of his head, out the bottom of his neck, and back into his shoulder and out his armpit rib area," said Sipe.
Holes indicate where the bullet hit the couch that Sipe was sleeping on. It flew across the room to a love seat, but miraculously missed her son Daemire by just a few inches. Daemire was sleeping after a day of playing hard, said his mom.
"It could have been my son," said Sipe. She is grateful that the cat saved her son's life by taking the bullet, and wanted to save her life also.
Yahoo Parenting reports that Opie suffered some muscle damage, but is expected to be okay after surgery, stitches, and a drainage tube.
"I wanted to keep him. He was my son's little hero, so I need to keep him around," she said.
Sipe said the veterinarian counted the total cost for Opie's needs to be $910.10, so she reportedly started a GoFundMe page to help raise money to fund the necessary actions needed to save the heroic cat. The page was opened with the goal of raising $1,000 but has exceeded that, with 127 donors giving a total amount of $2,855 in five days.
Sipe said that after the cat's needs are met, all excess donations will be given to an animal hospital.
Sipe also said that she is used to hearing gunshots near the place where they live, but the violence has never reached their neighborhood before.
"I want out," she said. "I don't want to stay here."
WMPT reports that police received a report of shots fired by unknown suspects, and police were dispatched accordingly. The incident is under investigation.
Chief Wes Kahley confirmed that no one has appeared reporting injuries from the shooting, and that no suspect has been named or identified.
