You were here.
That is the reason Willie is here.
That is the only reason Willie is here.
And now, for just a little while, the Linda Fund is here.
There was a time when Willie was not exactly “here.”
Willie’s body was here, enrobed in a soft, shaggy silver mane. But the little lion was absent, lost across some vast distance. The light in his pale green eyes was flickering.
He was brave and kingly once, sure of his roar and his place in the world. But that was long ago, and far away.
It is hard to hang onto your pride when your own people will never hold you again. For reasons Willie could not understand, his family cast him outside.
Clinging to hope and dignity, Willie made the best of his bewilderment. No lion, no matter how small, surrenders to despair.
Finding food was not easy, and Willie grew as frail as a dandelion. Yet he held fast to his impossible wishes. Surely, someday, he would turn a corner, and someone would be here for him.
But someone sinister would spot him first.
Willie’s foe was so small, the great lion did not even know to be afraid. But the parasite would throw him into the fight of his life.
It invaded his brain, doing irreversible damage. Before Willie knew what was happening, his once-majestic body thundered with seizures. The end was near.
But you were here.
You were here, in the legs of the good Samaritan who ran to Willie’s side. This stranger-turned-angel had heard of a place that prevails over death.
Tabby’s Place is the arena where impossible hope faces unconditional love. Willie was not yet gone. It was not over.
You were here, in the love and urgency of a fearless veterinary team. They stabilized the dying cat, stroking his mane. In an instant, the shaggy beggar became a king. If he lived, love would reign over his life. If he died, he would leave this Earth with a name and a family … the Tabby’s Place family.
But he would not die, because you were here.
You were here, in the waiting arms of the emergency vet. Against all odds, Willie survived the drive to the world-class hospital. There was no guarantee he would last the hour, much less the night. But there was no need to count the cost, and no limit to what love would do.
Suspended between life and death, Willie was not entirely here. But everyone who gave to last year’s Linda Fund was here, circling around him in that emergency room.
Near or far, young or old, you took your place in Willie’s family. And the supernatural strength of all that love saw him through his darkest night.
The Linda Fund is the lifeline for those cats who “shouldn’t be here.” If they are hanging by their final thread, the Linda Fund will catch them.
It is our critical reserve for emergency, intensive, and specialty care. It is the reason we can say “yes” to desperate cats when there is no time to fundraise, and no way to know what it will cost to save them.
It is the relentless roar of life over death. We look it right in the eyes, shake our heads, and say, “this one is ours. You are not welcome here.”
The Linda Fund is you. And for the next thirty days, the Linda Fund is here.
You couldn’t see Willie’s face when you gave to the Linda Fund last year. You didn’t know there would be a direct line from your donation to a silver cat on his last thread.
You simply chose to be here, for a cat you loved in advance.
You seized the fleeting moment when your donation would be doubled.
And you are still here.
You are here as Willie’s recovery journey continues. He has been on a long, quiet walk from darkness to light.
A traumatic brain injury is no simple safari. Willie’s healing has involved a private suite, carefully choreographed medications, and the patience and reverence reserved for royalty.
Week by week, the light returns to his eyes. Once wary and bewildered, Willie has rediscovered his peace and pride. The sunshine is a revelation, crowning his mornings with comfort. Kisses and brushing sessions feel like memories from another lifetime, too tender to be true. In time, Willie may be able to be among other cats or get adopted.
Willie will have all the time he needs, because you are here.
But now you must decide if you will be there.
This time next year, an innocent cat’s world will come to an end. Life as she knows it will be over. Tabby’s Place will take the call. There will not be time to fundraise. We will look to the Linda Fund. We will look to you.
Your gift today will be doubled. Your gift today will let her live.
Please make sure you will be here.