For six whole months, not a day went by that Rachael did not long for her beloved cat, Quazi. The two were tragically separated last April, when a fast-moving fire engulfed the third-story apartment they shared with Rachael’s sister. On that terrible day, Rachael was faced with the unthinkable – in order to save Quazi from the approaching flames, she made the harrowing decision to throw him from the balcony before making the leap herself.

After landing on safe and solid ground, Rachael watched helplessly as her sweet, frightened cat scurried away from the chaos and into the unknown. From the moment Quazi disappeared from her sight, Racheal’s mind raced to determine his whereabouts. She could think of little else, even in the midst of uncertainty about her home and well-being. Days and weeks without Quazi passed, and while Racheal was consumed by heartache, she never gave up hope.

What transpired half a year later, in the Pet Admissions lobby of the Dumb Friends League Leslie A. Malone Center, is something you have to see to believe. Watch Rachael and Quazi’s incredible love story below – and get your tissues handy.