MIDDLEBURG HEIGHTS, OHIO – Woodvale Cemetery has its very own guardian angel. She doesn’t sport wings or even a halo, but there is definitely something unique about the grey cat with the bright green eyes.
The young feline simply just appeared on a cold morning after staff members Angelo Giaimo and Tom Bellezza rescued her from her hiding place near the warm engine under a Middleburg Heights cemetery truck.
“The guys adopted her, fed her and took care of her,” went on to explain Director of Cemetery Operations Joe Giaimo. “During the day, she goes outside and visits people as they visit the graves.”
Angel Bones Woodvale, as officially named by the veterinarian who examined her, pads into the cemetery office at night where she eats, plays and also sleeps. She is officially registered to Giaimo and the cemetery staff and is indeed microchipped. A notched ear indicates she has also been spayed. No city funds were used for Angel’s care, Giaimo mentioned. Donations have fully covered all her expenses.
Director of Cemetery Operations Joe Giaimo holds Angel, a former stray cat that now provides comfort to visitors to Woodvale Cemetery in Middleburg Heights.
He told the story of a man and his young son who were there visiting their grandparents’ graves. The boy had been having quite a difficult time, “so the cat went up to him and started rubbing against his leg,” Giaimo stated. The father called it “a sign from grandpa.”
“The boy named her Angel,” he remembers. “Our guys had named her Bones. Seeing her out there with the families, it’s calming. She brings life and gives people a sense of someone reaching out and sending them a message, of saying hello.”
Giaimo stated he’s experienced lots of things in his 36 years working at Woodvale and believes there just might be some divine intervention going on.
“I’ve seen signs all over the place, but this is something unreal,” he explained. “Especially with how friendly she is. To me, she’s a therapy cat. She’s there to take people’s minds off the loss of their loved ones. For however long she’s with them, their minds are comforted.”
A local reporter noted it may indeed be something spiritual about Angel and made this comment:
“For this reporter, there may indeed be something spiritual about Angel. She seemed to sense my mourning the unexpected death of a dear friend from just the day before. Purring loudly, Angel hopped onto my lap. Pressing her head and body tightly against my chest, she exuded warmth and peace. My friend was a devoted cat owner”.
“If you’re here and a grey cat comes up to you, Angel is just saying hi and trying to make you feel a little bit better,” Giaimo concluded smiling. “That’s what she’s about.”
