Firefighters Save Trapped Fawn, Reunite It With Mother in Oakley.735
It was a quiet evening in Oakley, the kind of night when most people had settled into their homes after a long day. But for Capt. Eric Uhlhorn and firefighter Martez Mitchell, the call that came in was anything but ordinary. Dispatchers reported that a young fawn had somehow become trapped in a storm drain along Ridge Road. The caller, a concerned neighbor, had spotted the small animal struggling and knew it wouldn’t survive the night without help.
When Capt. Uhlhorn and FF Mitchell arrived at the scene, they immediately understood the urgency. The drain was narrow and slick from the recent rainfall, its dark interior barely wide enough for the frightened creature. The fawn was huddled in the shadows, trembling and exhausted, its big eyes reflecting the beam of the firefighters’ flashlights. It had clearly been down there for hours, maybe longer, and any further delay could have been fatal.
Carefully, the two men assessed their options. Storm drains are not easy places to navigate, and they had to work cautiously to avoid injuring the animal. With calm voices, they moved closer, trying to reassure the fawn, though it was too terrified to respond. Martez Mitchell lowered himself partway into the drain, stretching as far as he could while Eric guided him from above. Inch by inch, they closed the distance.
At last, with a quick but gentle motion, Mitchell managed to secure the fawn and lift it toward safety. The animal struggled for a brief moment, but then stilled, as though realizing these hands meant no harm. Once above ground, the fawn wobbled unsteadily on its legs but was otherwise unharmed. Relief swept over the rescuers, and even the small crowd of onlookers that had gathered erupted in quiet cheers.
The real triumph came just minutes later, when the fawn’s mother appeared at the edge of a nearby field. She had likely been circling anxiously, waiting for her baby to return. The rescuers set the fawn down gently, and with a few uncertain steps, it bounded back toward the doe. The reunion was almost instantaneous—the mother lowering her head as the fawn pressed close, safe at last. It was a scene that needed no words, a reminder of why these rescues matter so much.
Later, the Oakley Fire Department shared the story on social media, along with a heartfelt thank-you to Capt. Uhlhorn and FF Mitchell for their quick response and steady hands. But even a rescue story can come with a twist. In the original post, the department mistakenly identified the firefighter in the photo as FF Figueroa. By the time they caught the error, the post had already been shared nearly 200 times. The correction came with good humor—an apology to Mitchell, a chuckle at their own expense, and plenty of praise for the entire team.
For the firefighters, it wasn’t about recognition. It was about doing what they do best: protecting their community, whether that means people or wildlife. For the little fawn and its mother, it was the gift of another day together. And for everyone who followed the story, it was a heartwarming reminder that compassion often shows itself in the smallest of rescues.
When a Mother Becomes Her Child’s Greatest Hope.530

It was a quiet Sunday morning, but for the Blevins family of Robertsdale, Alabama, the day was heavy with anticipation. Tomorrow would mark the beginning of a critical week for 9-year-old Branson Blevins, who is currently receiving treatment in Rome, Italy for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Branson would start a series of irradiation treatments in preparation for a bone marrow transplant scheduled for Saturday—treatments that would be painful, exhausting, and full of uncertainty.
Amid the flurry of medical appointments, hospital corridors, and scans, Nichole Blevins, Branson’s mother, took a rare moment to sit quietly and reflect. Her mind was consumed not just with Branson’s fight, but with the immense responsibility and love she carried as his mother. In her heart, she knew something profound: she herself was part of what might save his life.
Nichole shared her thoughts with raw honesty, words that resonated far beyond her hospital room.
“This is your reminder, straight from a mama walking through it,” she began. “When you become a parent, it is your responsibility to take care of your health… not just for yourself, but for your child. You owe it to them. You never know when your body might be the very thing that saves theirs.”
For Nichole, this was no abstract lesson. She had already been Branson’s donor once before, giving of her blood, her cells, her very marrow to help sustain him. Now, in just a few days, she would step into that role again, a lifeline for the little boy she has loved since the moment he was born.
“It’s terrifying and beautiful all at once,” she admitted. “Terrifying that he even has to endure this, but beautiful that God gave me what he needs to keep fighting.”
Her words were a reminder to all parents that health is not something to take for granted. It’s too easy to push off doctor visits, delay checkups, or postpone self-care. Nichole’s message was simple, but urgent: life doesn’t wait. Sometimes, your child may need you to be ready today—without warning, without preparation.
“So please, let this be your sign,” she urged. “Take care of yourself. Go to the doctor. Eat well. Move your body. Protect your health like your children’s lives depend on it… because one day, they just might. From a mama who would give anything, even the marrow of her bones, to see her son grow up, please don’t wait until life forces you to realize it. You never know when it could be you. I never imagined it would be me.”
In her quiet strength, Nichole’s concern reached beyond her own family. Even in the midst of fear, stress, and exhaustion, she thought of others—offering wisdom drawn from the deepest corners of her heart. Her courage was a lesson in love, sacrifice, and the extraordinary lengths a parent will go to protect their child.
As Branson prepares to face a week of treatments, irradiation, and a life-changing bone marrow transplant, the Blevins family stands together, bound by hope, faith, and the unshakable bond between mother and child. And as Nichole’s words remind us, sometimes the greatest acts of heroism are not in the headlines—they are in the quiet choices, the care we take of ourselves, and the love we give so freely to those who depend on us most.
This Sunday, the world watches Branson Blevins fight. But it also listens, through Nichole’s heartfelt words, to the reminder that every parent’s love can be lifesaving, in ways we never imagined.