Tough Rescue Kitty Named Rocky Becomes a Viral Inspiration After Almost Getting Euthanized 5 Years Ago (Exclusive)

Since Dawn Firestone started Rocky's social media she's reached 157,000 followers on Instagram and more than 470,000 on TikTok

• Dawn Firestone's husband, Ben, first saw Rocky the cat and his mother while working at a job site in a port near Newark five years ago

• One day he noticed the same mother cat pick up her kitten and climb onto a machine, but she accidentally dropped the baby 15 feet onto a concrete floor

• Right away he called Dawn, who met him and the kitten, who still had his umbilical cord attached, at a local grocery store

• Later, they learned the kitten's back legs were paralyzed and that he likely wouldn't ever walk normally again. While the vet suggested euthanasia, Dawn was determined to help Rocky live his best life

Five years ago, Dawn Firestone's husband, Ben, was working at a job site in a port near Newark, N.J., where he and some coworkers often fed the stray cats around the factory. He frequently texted Firestone photos of the cats lounging on the machinery while he worked.

One day, he sent her a video of some kittens that were likely old enough to explore the shop without their mother. The next day, he noticed the same mother cat pick up a kitten and climb onto a machine, but accidentally drop her baby 15 feet onto a concrete floor. Ben called Firestone, saying, “He looks like he’s barely breathing. He’s super dirty, and I don't know what to do."

Firestone immediately left work, panicking. She met her husband and the kitten, who still had his umbilical cord attached, at a local grocery store. Firestone recalls that when she picked up the kitten, he was cold.

"His tongue was sticking out, his eyelids were half-closed, and he was gasping for air every couple of seconds," she tells PEOPLE. "I put him on my chest and rubbed his back, trying to keep him with me. He let out a meow, and I tucked him into my shirt and ran home. I was crying hysterically, thinking, 'Please don’t die. I’ll never get over it.' My daughter was with me, and I kept saying, 'Oh my God, come on, you can do it. You can do it.' "

"I promised him, 'If you make it, I swear I will spoil you. You'll be the king of the house. Please don’t die on me,' " she adds.

Within a week, Firestone noticed the kitten starting to move around. She gave him a bath and let him play with another litter of kittens the family was also caring for. However, as the little guy tried to play, Firestone noticed he was walking strangely; his back legs dragged and didn't seem to work properly.

Concerned, she took him to the vet, who suspected his legs were twisted. Later, she learned his back legs were paralyzed and that he likely wouldn't ever walk normally again. The vet suggested euthanasia.

"He laid out all these terrible possibilities and told me I should euthanize him," Firestone says. "But why would I take his life if he was willing to enjoy it? This baby is playing and happy; he doesn’t care about his back legs. I can't do that to him."

Instead, Firestone was determined to give the cat — whom she named Rocky as a tribute to the Philadelphia Eagles — that promised best life possible. She took him to physical therapy, acupuncture and even water therapy, hoping to help him. She also got him a little wheelchair with his name on the back. Despite none of the therapies showing significant improvement in his condition, Firestone was inspired by Rocky's determination to live life to the fullest.

"Whenever he wanted the wheelchair off, he would sit with the front end of his body in his bed, his butt hanging out with the wheels attached. I'd take it off, and he would zoom around the house, running happily like there's no care in the world," she says. "So we wound up stopping with the wheelchair."

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

Since welcoming Rocky into her home, Firestone has shared his journey on social media to raise awareness about special-needs cats. In one of her first videos, she explained how she helps Rocky go to the bathroom. She assists him twice a day, and he wears a diaper — not for regular use, but to prevent infections and keep him clean when he drags his bottom along the ground. When Rocky plays outside she also puts a mermaid tail on him to prevent him from getting dirty.

Over the years, his account has amassed 157,000 followers on Instagram and more than 470,000 on TikTok. Firestone and her family have also raised money on GoFundMe to help Rocky and other special-needs cats.

"When I first encountered Rocky, I had never seen a paralyzed cat," she says. "I was active on social media, but I hadn’t come across anything like it — no cat in a diaper, nothing. My love for Rocky led me to refuse euthanasia. Because I stood firm in that decision, five years later, he’s still with us."

"Rocky’s account has saved many cats. I often receive messages from people facing similar situations," she adds. "For example, a woman recently reached out because her cat had its tail caught in a door, resulting in paralysis. She was devastated and told to euthanize her 3-year-old cat."

She continues, "I was able to guide her through the process via FaceTime, and now her cat is living a happy life. She didn’t have to say goodbye, and it’s heartwarming to know that any animal I can help through Rocky's account is a blessing."

Firestone, who is also a mother to two kids, says that Rocky is the "most spoiled boy in the entire universe." Because of the amount of attention he requires, she brings him everywhere, including on airplanes. Recently, the family bought an RV to help Rocky feel more at home while they travel. Just last week, Firestone carried him on her chest when she visited her aunt in Iowa.

"He's the most beautiful, loving cat you could possibly imagine," she says. "His paralysis is just one part of who he is."

"I also visited two special-needs schools in the area and donated stuffed animals made to look like Rocky," she adds. "They have diapers and even mermaid tails to keep their legs clean when they go outside. I wanted to show that everyone is different, and that difference is what makes us beautiful. Everyone who has received a Rocky stuffed animal has become attached to it. I think it tells a wonderful story."

Reflecting on how Rocky has changed her life, Firestone says that while she's had to make sacrifices in her personal life for Rocky, she wouldn't change any of it for the world.

"Everyone in my house knows that Rocky comes first," she says, adding. "Sure, my kids come first, but Rocky is right there, too. If Rocky needs something, the whole household has to adjust. At night, he snuggles with me, literally spooning me to my face 24/7."

She adds, "I haven’t snuggled with my husband in bed in five years, but he knows it’s Rocky’s time. If he wants to come over and put his arm around me and Rocky, he can do that. But when it comes to nighttime, it’s all about Rocky. If he wants it, he gets it."

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.