Saturday marked the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, and people around the country displayed American flags in remembrance.
But one flag displayed at a baseball game was more than a patriotic symbol — it was a life-saver, after fans used it to catch a falling cat.
Fans who attended Saturday’s NCAA football game between the Miami Hurricanes and the Appalachian State Mountaineers witnessed a real nail-biter that didn’t involve sports at all: a cat fell from a ledge, and was clinging to a banner, afraid of falling a whole level below.
Fans at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami were seen trying to reach the cat, but couldn’t pull it to safety.
Instead, fans down below decided to prepare for the cat’s inevitable fall, and prepared to break its fall with the best thing they had available: an American flag banner.
When the poor cat finally lost its grip, the fans held out the flag as a makeshift tarp.
Thankfully, they made the catch — and the fans let out a cheer louder than they’d give for a touchdown.
According to the Miami Herald, the fan who made the lucky catch was Craig Cromer, a facilities manager at the University of Miami.
“This is my first catch,” Craig said, according to the Miami Herald. A catch no one in attendance would ever forget.
A season ticket holder, Craig attends games with his wife Kimberly, and always bring an American flag to hang over the railing. Thankfully, they had it with them at Saturday’s home opener.
The couple stood with their American flag for 2-3 minutes waiting for the cat to fall, according to the Miami Herald, a nerve-racking moment: “It seemed like it took forever,” Craig recalled.
Kimberly called the life-saving moment “probably the strangest thing that’s happened at a game,” and most fans in attendance would probably agree.
It isn’t clear where the cat came from, nor is there currently any information about where it is now.
But the cat did safely survive the fall. Hard Rock Stadium released a statement saying he “landed safely,” and thanked the fans who saved him. They also made a donation to Humane Society Miami.
“We wish the cat the best in his remaining eight lives,” they wrote.
What a moment! We’re so glad this poor cat is safe thanks to that perfect catch!
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