Sarah Bohan was winding her way through the streets during Sunday's Bank of America Chicago Marathon, enjoying the day and high-fiving people along the way.
Then, during the 20th mile, the cat lover saw something.
"I was on the left side, and I noticed a little white fluffy thing bouncing along," she said.
In a tunnel full of runners and fans, Bohan, of Boston, turned around to grab the tiny white kitten.
"Once I turned, I was like this is now my responsibility, my whole heart, the rest of my race," she stated.
Bohan explained that she walked from spectator to spectator asking if someone could help her rehome the kitten, so she could then finish the race. She knew she was missing out on a personal record, but said she wasn’t about to leave the fur baby behind.
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"I must have asked her five times if she was going to love and rehome this cat, I think there are pictures of that experience, that handoff," she recounted.
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Another runner helped Bohan find the right person and refused her to walk alone. The pair ended up pushing through the last six miles side by side.
"At point we were so full of love, compassion and empathy and we were like, let’s do this together, and we finished together," she said.
This past Sunday's marathon, according to the cat lover, will be tough to top.
"It was just a beautiful experience I couldn’t ask for a better race," she said.
Bohan ran on behalf of TEAM PAWS Chicago, raising funds for the no kill shelter. Her own two cats are rescues, so the team stood out to her, she said.
