The Cat Who Dialed 911
| Gary Rosheisen got his
orange-and-tan striped cat, who he named Tommy, in 2003 to help lower
his blood pressure. Gary tried to train Tommy to dial 911, but he
was never sure if the training worked. But in early January 2006, he realized the training had stuck. When officer Patrick Daugherty walked into his apartment to respond to a 911 call, the cat was lying by a telephone on the living room floor. Gary had fallen out of his wheelchair and was on the floor near his bed. Rosheisen said his cat, Tommy, must have hit the right buttons to call 911. Rosheisen hadn't been wearing his medical-alert necklace, nor could he reach a cord above his pillow to alert paramedics that he needs help. He couldn't get up because of pain from osteoporosis and ministrokes. The phone in the living room is always on the floor -- there is a speed dial for 911 above the button for the speaker phone. "He's my
hero," Rosheisen said. Info
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