NASHVILLE, Tenn (WTVF) — What was intended to be a straightforward cross-country move turned into a distressing ordeal for Jacob Hill and his family when the camper they were towing slid off Interstate 40 near Newsom. The incident has left the family desperate to find their missing cat, Winston.
The journey began on May 5th, with Hill towing a camper packed with the family's belongings, including their two dogs and two cats. However, the rain that followed them into Middle Tennessee made for dangerous conditions.
"I felt the truck starting to fishtail, and I started screaming. I kind of got it under control, and then I heard this huge crash behind me," Hill said. "I looked in the rearview mirror, and the camper was about 100 feet behind us in the middle of the highway."
Hill acted quickly, jumping out of the truck to flag down another driver to stop traffic before racing towards the wrecked camper.
"I ripped the door off the camper. I got our two dogs out, and I got one of our cats out, but the other cat, Winston, an orange tabby, was nowhere to be found," he said.
Despite searching for Winston in the dark for about an hour, Hill couldn't find him. Faced with a tough decision, he chose to continue the journey, leaving Winston behind. The family, now in Pennsylvania, has been tirelessly working to locate their beloved pet.
Hill and his partner, Stephanie Vancak, contacted every animal shelter in the area and posted on a national database for missing pets, which was shared widely on Facebook. The response from the local community has been overwhelming.
"We were just floored by how incredible the Tennesseans are," Hill said. "We’re in a group called 'Team Winston' that has about 10 people. I've never met these people, and they’re just committed to finding our sweet boy."
These volunteers have been setting up traps and monitoring trail cameras in the hopes of spotting Winston.
"It’s really heartwarming," Hill shared. "That’s the silver lining for us in a terrible situation, but a lot of really good people have kind of reaffirmed our faith in the world and humanity."
Despite their efforts, there has been no sighting of Winston yet. The orange tabby was last seen wearing a blue collar with pineapples on it and is microchipped. He was last spotted on I-40 east near mile marker 194.
The family remains hopeful that with the community's help, Winston will be found and brought back home.
If you want to help find Winston or think you know where the cat is please contact Hill at 10403buttonquail@gmail.com
The family has created a GoFundmeto help in the hiring of a pet detective that can pinpoint Winston's location with scent dogs.
It's truly the small things that add up to a great day - and Warrick in Lebanon is having a big impact. His familiar face is becoming a staple in one part of the community and inspiring closer connection in the simplest way. Enjoy his warm personality! You may even feel inclined to wave to a stranger today, too.
-Rebecca Schleicher
