An ordinary walk turned into an act of pure heroism. This week, while Aykut Balli and his wife were walking along the coast in Turkey, their routine was shattered by an alarming discovery in the waves.
While children were playing on the beach, Aykut's wife spotted a small, dark shape floating and struggling in the water. It was a tiny kitten, drowning. "I felt an overwhelming urge to act. It was as if my own child was in the water," Aykut explained to The Dodo.
A spontaneous rescue
Without even taking off his clothes, the man dived straight into the ocean to retrieve the little cat. Once back on dry land, he used his towel to rub the animal dry before placing it in his car with the heating on full blast to warm it up.
Once the kitten was stable, Aykut searched the area and managed to find its mother, who was desperately looking for her little one. The reunion was a happy and safe one. The very next day, the Good Samaritan returned with food to make sure the little survivor was in perfect health.
A safe haven in the making
This rescue was a real wake-up call for the couple. Appalled by the plight of stray animals in the area, they decided to make their efforts more permanent.
"We have a big project underway to help our little furry friends," Aykut announced. The couple are now planning to build and install small houses and suitable shelters for the neighbourhood's stray cats, offering them a safe place and preventing similar tragedies from happening again.