Home fire survivor thanks Good Samaritan who rescued cat

NORTH MIAMI BEACH, Fla. (WSVN) -- A woman who survived a fire that destroyed a South Florida home came forward to thank the man who saved her cat, Monday.

The family pet was rescued Sunday from a fire in Levy's North Miami Beach home. "It's horrible. It smells so bad, and I can't see anything," homeowner Sara Levy said while she examined the remains of her residence. "Everything is smooshed up and broken," she continued.

When she became aware her house was on fire, Levy rushed out with her dog and other family members. It was at this point that she realized Kitty, the cat she'd taken in two years ago, was still inside her home.

A Good Samaritan, who Levy did not know, then rushed into the burning structure and rescued Kitty. "Once you fall in love with an animal, you love him," Levy said as she waited to see Kitty at an animal hospital in Hollywood where he is being treated for smoke inhalation.

Levy took the opportunity to express her gratitude to the stranger who raced into her house and saved Kitty. "Thank you so much for doing that, for going into that mess and pulling out my cat, who was probably scratching him on the way out," she said, "I really appreciate it very much."

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Levy's home has been declared a total loss.

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