MT. AIRY, Ga. — Nearly a week after a devastating house fire upended their lives, the Gardner family is celebrating a hopeful sign: their missing cat, Silver, has been found alive.
“We haven’t caught him yet, but he’s alive!” Amy Gardner wrote in an email update to Now Georgia, describing herself in that moment as “overjoyed, relieved” and thankful for “answered prayers.”
Beloved pet and treasured keepsake found
Silver disappeared during the early morning fire on January 28 that destroyed the family’s carport, four vehicles — including Jonathan Gardner’s Baldwin Police patrol car — and caused heavy damage to their home. Four of the family’s five pets were found in the immediate aftermath of the fire, but not Silver. The family feared the worst but never stopped hoping he would return. They are now feeding and watering him at the property, hoping he will soon feel secure enough to come out of hiding.
In another bright spot, firefighters were able to recover Jon’s Quilt of Valor from the home. During his eight years in the Army, he deployed to Iraq twice and Afghanistan once. He was injured by a roadside bomb in Iraq in 2011 and awarded a Purple Heart. The Quilt of Valor is a gift of gratitude given to military personnel and veterans in recognition of their service. Jon’s is now at the cleaners, having, like him, survived the fire.
A community steps in
Despite losing nearly everything twice in his life, Jon and his family are leaning on their faith and the strength of their community.
“While the fire was devastating and we lost everything, God has provided for us in countless ways already, and we have seen so many prayers answered through the love and support of our community,” said Amy. “We are deeply grateful for the encouragement we’ve received.”
A GoFundMe account set up by a family member has raised over $20,000 to help the Gardners. For now, their greatest hurdle is transportation, as insurance only covers part of their rental car costs. Still, Amy emphasized that their immediate needs are being met and that they remain deeply thankful for the prayers, kindness, and support surrounding them.
Even as investigators work to determine what sparked the fire, the Gardner family is holding tightly to the signs of hope emerging from the ashes: a treasured quilt saved, a beloved cat found alive, and a community standing beside them. As they wait for Silver to finally come home, the Gardners say those small mercies are lighting the way forward, one day at a time.
