THE MIRACLE - STEWART'S HOME!

I NEVER would have imagined, but I had gone into the garage, thru the shed where we keep the boat in the winter and wanted Jeremy to come out to the backyard to look at something.  All the sudden I saw Hayde bolting towards me so I turned to "catch" her and all the sudden this little black thing was fleeing in front of her.  It ran by me into a corner of the shed under the shelves.  As it ran by, I noticed something around it's neck and something small hanging down (like a collar and tags).  I yelled at Jeremy and of course he was second guessing me, but this thing was small, just about Stewart size, VERY dirty, and very skittish it appeared.  Jeremy ran to get the flashlight and we tried shinning the light around, but couldn't see anything.  I put Hayde inside and looked around some more, then decided to get some food out and shake it.  Nothing.  Eventually I decided to finally bring Hayde back out and ask her "where's Stewart".  She usually knows this phrase(although sometime goes for Kitty), but I think she knew what I was after.  Finally her nose got down on the ground and she crawled under the lowest shelf sniffing.  I had done that earlier with the flashlight, but didn't see anything.  I went back underneath and realized there's another shelf under there as well.  I was shocked to see two big eyes looking back at me.  I looked closer and to my disbelieve, there was Stewart, with his two white patches under his chin and the brown streak off center of his nose.  He did look pretty dirty, but there he was!!!!  I threw some food out hoping it'd bring him closer.  He went after it - must have been pretty hungry.  I  threw some more closer to me hoping he'd be willing to go after that too and then I could grab him.  Sure enough - it didn't take too long and he came right up to the edge.  I grabbed him!  WOW!  It was like picking up a feather!  I held him tight, but couldn't feel anything but bone.  I ran to the back entry door (Jeremy was working on caulking around it) to show Jeremy and to have him let me in.  I put the bowl of food on the floor and he immediately started eating. 

I'm in shock.  I never would have though he could survive this long, but I'm absolutely amazed.  He's got some fight in him to have survived this long, thru some snowfalls, super cold temperatures, for somewhere around 2 months!  I have no idea what he survived on.  Jeremy did say he saw a cat the other night in the garage, but it ran off as soon as he saw it.  Our neighbor said she saw a black cat one night too, but I know our other neighbor has a black cat with a white belly and paws so I was sure it must have been that one.  It comes into our yard often enough.  I just weight Stewart and he's 4.8 lbs.  Yickes.  He literally is all bone and I'm scared to pick him up he feels so fragile.  I'll have to get him into the vet as soon as I can come Monday just to have him checked out.  I'm in shock, but am thrilled to have found him and gotten him back inside.  I'll have to post a picture later.  There's still lots to do this weekend.  I just had to post this.