A construction manager for the record-breaking Gordie Howe International bridge set to link Ontario and Michigan thought he had found a "bright orange sponge" at the cross-border build site, but it was actually an adorable little kitten that would soon gain celebrity status celebrity among workers.

On that fateful day in November 2021, Shannon Meeks, a construction manager at engineering firm Parsons working on the Detroit side of the bridge, spotted the bright orange tabby frail and shivering at the side of the road. Meeks sprung into action and contacted colleague Emily Brown, who immediately took the tiny ginger into her care.

Brown tucked the small kitten away in her coat to shelter him from the harsh cold, grabbed supplies from a local pet store, and gave herself a crash course in kitten care. Brown would ultimately nurse the little kitten back to health, and the two have since become inseparable.

The kitten was ultimately named Gordie, after the bridge site it was found on. The bridge itself is named after legendary Canadian hockey player and former Detroit Red Wing, Gordie Howe.

Little Gordie quickly earned celebrity status at the project site and office, and team members from across the project were keen to meet the adorable cat, help care for him, and fund his voracious apex predator appetite through donated food.

Brown, by association, also became somewhat of a celebrity among the project team as workers gravitated to young Gordie for 'pet therapy.'

"Work can be stressful. For a lot of people, Gordie provided some laughs and stress relief," Brown says. "Spending time with or even seeing a kitten can turn your whole day around."

And after all of that love, the now-two-year-old Gordie the cat is receiving some extra special attention this month to celebrate National Cat Lover's Month, as the bridge team shares his heartwarming story.

🐱 What better way to mark #NationalCatLoversMonth then with the heartfelt story of Gordie the Cat. You never know what you might find on a construction site and for one little creature, it was a simple act of kindness that embodies the #GordieHoweBridge project’s commitment pic.twitter.com/atRwt8p2oi

— Gordie Howe International Bridge (@GordieHoweBrg) December 11, 2023

It's a story that continues to add new chapters years later, as Gordie enjoys family life with Brown and his two cat pals, Narcissa and Lucius, who adopted the little one just as readily as his loving human guardian.

to caring and community. In November 2021, when staff discovered a kitten near the US Port of Entry (POE), they went above and beyond to ensure his safety. Read more here: https://t.co/YhHVbho14A pic.twitter.com/JKXowLwxoF

— Gordie Howe International Bridge (@GordieHoweBrg) December 11, 2023

Brown says she will always remember her time working on the enormous infrastructure project thanks to her little orange buddy, saying, "I'm grateful I will have Gordie to help me remember and look back on this incredible journey once the project is complete."