Steffany Johnson-Jernigan was in the middle of getting her kids ready for the day when her husband came back inside with a worried look.
As he was leaving for work, he’d heard a strange crying sound coming from underneath her car. He couldn’t see what was making it, but he was afraid an animal might be hurt.
Once Johnson-Jernigan finished helping her sons, she headed outside to investigate.
She followed the faint cries toward the passenger-side tire and crouched down for a closer look.
That’s when she spotted her.
A terrified squirrel was wedged tightly near the car’s suspension spring, trapped in a space so narrow that she couldn’t get herself back out.
Photo: Squirrel trapped beneath the car
“She was so scared, and every time I touched her, she would move farther and farther up, which in turn made it harder for me to try to get her,” Johnson-Jernigan told The Dodo. “I have no idea how long she was up there — I’m assuming a cat chased her up there, ’cause we do have some mischievous ones on our street.”
The little squirrel couldn’t have chosen a better driveway to get stuck in.
For the past 15 years, Johnson-Jernigan has worked with animal rescues, shelters and boarding facilities. Her family and friends know that when she sees an animal in trouble, walking away simply isn’t an option.
So she got to work.
Photo: The squirrel wedged inside the wheel area
For nearly 45 minutes, Johnson-Jernigan tried everything she could think of to gently coax the squirrel free.
But the more frightened the squirrel became, the farther she squeezed herself into the cramped space.
Then Johnson-Jernigan noticed something that completely changed the rescue.
The squirrel was pregnant.
Suddenly, there wasn’t just one life depending on her.
“I knew I had to get her out no matter what then,” Johnson-Jernigan said. “I wasn’t just saving one.”
From that moment on, giving up wasn’t even a possibility.
Johnson-Jernigan kept trying to find a safe angle, but eventually it became clear: There simply wasn’t enough room to free the squirrel without making more space.
So she grabbed her tools.
And without hesitating over what it might mean for her car, Johnson-Jernigan cut away part of the wheel well.
Photo: Part of the wheel well removed during the rescue
Finally, there was enough room.
Johnson-Jernigan carefully reached in and pulled the exhausted mama squirrel free.
After being trapped for who knows how long, she was finally safe.
The squirrel wasn’t interested in sticking around, but before she darted away, Johnson-Jernigan managed to give her a quick check.
Thankfully, she appeared to have escaped the ordeal with only minor injuries.
“I walked away with three small scratches and (from what I could tell) she only had a couple spots of missing fur and a couple scabs,” Johnson-Jernigan said.
In the days since, Johnson-Jernigan has spotted the mama squirrel running through her yard and spending time in a nearby tree — proof that she seems to be doing just fine.
And their story may not be over yet.
Johnson-Jernigan plans to build a small shelf in the tree to give her new backyard visitor a comfortable place to rest. She’s also hoping that, before long, she’ll catch another glimpse of the squirrel — this time with a few tiny babies by her side.
What started as a mysterious cry beneath a car turned into an unexpected rescue of a mother and her unborn babies.
And all it took was one person who was willing to keep trying until they were safe.