Scrap metal worker feeds local stray cats every evening, hasn’t missed a day in 21 years
By Dreamer
It is a cold night in East Hartford, Connecticut, and Willie Ortiz has had a long day on the streets collecting scrap metal in his old van to later sell. But when 7 pm rolls around, Ortiz never ceases to make his way to the back of an auto body garage to meet up with some local friends.
Walking past broken down cars and rusted over metal scraps, 75 year old Ortiz slowly and carefully carries over a massive amount of cat food to the back of the garage. As soon as Ortiz finds his way to the back, he is greeted by around ten cats that are eagerly waiting for his return.
An immigrant from Puerto Rico, Willie Ortiz had been the face of many industries working a range of jobs including school bus driver and a mechanic and welder for a local hospital. As he got older, Ortiz would spend his days find scrap metal he could sell to produce some income. Located in East Hartford, Ortiz has a house full of two things, scrap metal from his long days collecting and pallets from the cat food he orders in large volumes.
With stacks and stacks of cat food fills the crevices of his home, one may wonder why this man has dedicated so much energy and money into feeding the stray cats on the streets every night.
“I do this because I know no one likes the cats. I see them, and I see they need help,” Willie explained.
Oritz’s mission began in 1995 when he walked past the garage one day and noticed a hungry, stray cat rubbing it’s body against a customer in a plea for attention. Heartbroken by the helplessness he saw that day in the hungry cat, he decided he would make it his mission to make sure these cats did not go hungry as they lived on the streets.
“People were pushing it away, and I could see it needed help. So I said to the Lord, ‘I know these cats can’t understand my accent, but I need to do something,” Ortiz stated.
Ortiz started feeding the cats behind the Hartford Hospital while he was working there, and when one of his coworkers saw what he was doing, they donated $40 to the cause. Ortiz slowly began to expand his services to other parts of the city, especially as he began to notice and learn where the stray cats would often congregate. Local animal-care groups began to take notice of his actions as well, and would call in and try to offer him tips and advice as he continued to drive his mission forward.
“People ask me why I feed them every day, or tell me I feed them too much. You eat every day, no? You get three meals; they eat once every 24 hours,” Ortiz explained.
With love and dedication in his heart, Ortiz makes a whopping 14 stops in East Hartford, Clay Arsenal, Upper Albany, and Downtown in order to help feed an estimated 70 stray cats.
Willie Ortiz does not stop at just making sure the cats are fed, though. Through the last couple years, Ortiz has actually brought in sick or injured cats he found on the streets. Getting them to the proper veterinary offices, Ortiz has always gone above and beyond when it comes to caring for his furry friends. Willie has undoubtedly saved the lives of many stray cats around Hartford, and he seems to have no plans of stopping.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
You are currently reading about Scrap metal worker feeds local stray cats every evening, hasn’t missed a day in 21 years. If you've found this helpful, please share Scrap metal worker feeds local stray cats every evening, hasn’t missed a day in 21 years on your favorite social media site, such as Facebook, Twitter, or Google+
