NEW BERN, N.C. — A photo of a man and his kitten named Survivor being rescued Friday from floodwaters in North Carolina has gone viral.
Robert Simmons Jr. and Survivor were captured by The News & Observer photographer Andrew Carter as they were rescued by boat from waist-deep floodwaters.
Meet Robert Simmons. Was stuck in his house since last night, when floodwaters began to rise in New Bern. A boat came and rescued him just now. He was sad to leave his father but left with his kitten hugging his neck. Cat’s name: Survivor, Simmons said. #HurricaneFlorence2018 pic.twitter.com/vRR3lANDJe
— Andrew Carter (@_andrewcarter) September 14, 2018
Simmons, 40, told The News & Observer that he'd been through hurricanes Bertha, Fran, Irene and Matthew yet had never seen the flooding so bad in his neighborhood.
While Simmons' home that he shares with his father was spared from flooding, the streets surrounding his home had turned into rivers, Simmons said. That's what prompted Simmons to leave, because he was concerned about being trapped at home indefinitely. He told reporters that he tried to convince his father to go with him, but he refused.
The rescuers dropped off Simmons and Survivor at a shelter.
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