Michigan Teen Wins $50,000 And Donates It To An Animal Shelter

This 13-year-old just changed 2021 for a small animal shelter in Ferndale, Michigan.

Meet Sidney Hertzberg.  She loves cats.  In fact, she volunteers at the Ferndale Cat Shelter.  She recently enter a Petco contest by writing an essay about her cat.  Her survey paid off to the tune of $50,000.  You can see the moment she finds out that she won in the video below from ABC 7 at about the :15 second mark.

Sidney told WXYZ,

I have an illness called POTS and so with some of the symptoms that come with the illness are dizziness, fatigue and muscle aches. My cat Mr. Mittens, I got him when he was 4 ounces and he was about a week old, so he was very, very small and he had to be bottle-fed. And I really thought I was going to help save his life, but I did not even know he would actually help save mine.

The 13-year-old then donated the entire $50,000 prize to the Ferndale Cat Shelter where she volunteers.  This story could end there and it would be incredible.  However, Sidney's not finished.  Not even close.

She has also created a program called Sidney's Seniors for Seniors.  The program not only places older cats with elderly humans but also pays for the cat's food and medical bills.  If this what the next generation looks like.  We're in great hands.