Mirage the cat, rescued after a 380-foot plunge at Bryce Canyon by pilot Chelsea Tugaw, now enjoys retirement as a miracle survivor. The 12-year-old tabby’s improbable escape and instant adoption transform a grim search into a heartwarming, gravity-defying twist. “We couldn’t believe the cat was alive,” Tugaw recalled.

Mirage’s story began in a dirt-covered pet carrier at Inspiration Point, where Tugaw’s rescue team expected only human tragedy. Instead, they found a battered feline with fractured ribs and a future. “I hope I can give her the perfect retirement life,” Tugaw said, as Mirage trades cliffs for catnaps and emergency flights for sunny window sills.

Mirage survived a 380-foot canyon fall—veterinarians found her with fluid in her heart, but she fully recovered.