Talk about a rescue.

An Appleton man got more than he bargained for Wednesday after he had to be rescued from a tree following an attempt to save the family cat. To watch a video of the rescue, click here.

“It’ll be a story to tell our son when he gets older,” Olivia Trahan said as she watched emergency crews rescue coordinate the afternoon effort to bring her husband down from more than 75 foot to safety.

Here’s how the story unfolded, Trahan said.

For the last seven days, “Sapphire,” the family’s 2-year-old grey-and-white-stripped house cat, had been perching atop a tree branch. “She got out of the house somehow, and the only thing we can think of is that coyotes ran her up the tree.”

The family tried everything to coax the feline down. They even contacted Southern Pine Electric Company for help, but the scared kitty went even higher in the tree.

“I have to say this is probably my fault,” Trahan said of the day’s events. “My husband decided to go up and get (the cat), but got stuck. ”

For nearly two hours, he tried to make his way back down the tree.

That’s when Mrs. Trahan called 911.

More Southern Pine personnel, along with the Brewton Fire Department and Escambia County Sheriff’s Office and D.W. McMillan Hospital EMS, traveled to the dense forest area behind the couple’s Hwy. 41 home to lend a helping hand.

Using a rope and harness system, the men were able to eventually lower Mr. Trahan to the ground, just in time to avoid Wednesday’s afternoon thunderstorm.

“I feel so bad,” Mrs. Trahan said. “I’ve been calling him ‘Tarzan,’ but I don’t think he found it funny. He said he’s never going to live this down. We’re just thankful that everyone showed up to help get him down.”

Those at the scene were glad to lend a hand, they said.

“That’s not something you see every day, but I’m glad we got him down safely,” Chief Deputy Mike Lambert said.

Sapphire, unfortunately, remains in the tree.