Regina Swarn Audio Series Presents

The Inspiring Legacy of Christopher Arsenault and the Happy Cat Sanctuary

• Regina Swarn • Season 7 • Episode 24

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Ever notice how easy it is to get swept up in the negative news cycle? This morning, sitting on my patio with the sounds of life around me, I'm reflecting on what truly deserves our attention and energy during troubling times.

The story of Christopher Arsenault and his Happy Cat Sanctuary has profoundly touched my heart. Though I never knew him before the tragic fire that claimed his life and the lives of over 100 cats, learning about his extraordinary dedication has been deeply moving. What strikes me most is how even in death, Chris continues to bring people together. Organizations like Strong Island Animal Rescue League and Paws of War are working tirelessly to rescue surviving cats, while thousands of donors contribute to keep his dream alive. His story deserves to be told widely—perhaps even as a film—because it reminds us of the ripple effect one person's compassion can create.

Many ask how I maintain peace amid current challenges. For me, it's about deliberately choosing where to focus my attention. Rather than becoming entangled in political debates and endless negative headlines, I concentrate on stories of hope and resilience. This isn't about ignoring reality but about protecting my peace through faith and gratitude for daily blessings. Each morning I wake up with health and strength is a gift worth celebrating.

If you're struggling to find peace right now, consider stepping away from the constant news cycle and redirecting your energy toward matters that inspire hope rather than fear. Remember that "your peace is what you make it." I'd love to hear what positive stories are keeping you grounded. Write to me at swarnregina@gmail.com, and please consider supporting the ongoing rescue efforts for the Happy Cat Sanctuary if you're able.

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Speaker 1:

Hey there, good morning Friday morning. I'm Regina Swain. I just want to speak for a few moments. I am out on my patio. I'm always in the patio. I'm not in a recording booth or anything like that. So it's natural that you're going to hear noises and I, like I tell you I'm not trying to keep up with anybody else what other people do the perfection of their podcast. As long as you can hear me, I feel most comfortable out here. I don't forget about the headphones, I don't care about all that stuff. I wanted to just come on this morning to just have a leave, an encouraging word, just something encouraging, something good.

Speaker 1:

So many bad things going on right now and I think everyone needs something good to hear, and I just want to something good to hear and I just want to let me first say thank you to all who support me. Thank you to all those who support my podcast. A lot of you support it monthly. Uh, there are those who support it just by listening, sharing it. I'm going to turn this down and so I thank you. I truly, truly thank all of you for everything that you're doing.

Speaker 1:

There's a lot of bad news out in the press. A lot of it is just news because of tragedies that happened, like at the Happy Cat Sanctuary, of tragedies that happened, like at the Happy Cat Sanctuary, where Mr Christopher Arsenault lost his life and over 100 of his cats also perished Very sad news. The good news behind that is some great people are pulling together to try to keep chris's dream alive. I think her name is lisa don't quite know the last name. I hate to try to start something and can't finish it, but I know her name is lisa and she said she was Chris's best friend. You got Paws of War and the other one. I was just looking at it. God, where is it? I know it's the Long Island because I did it the other day. Let me look again. Sorry, sorry, guys. The other one is Call one second here Strong Island Animal Rescue League and Paws of War and, of course, everyone who's donating to, including myself, who's donating to the GoFundMe to help their cause and what they're doing right now, me to help their cause and what they're doing right now, I strictly stand I totally not strictly, but I totally stand behind that because I love cats and I love animals and I think what they're doing is wonderful and I hope and pray that they keep Chris's dream alive.

Speaker 1:

A lot of us didn't even know Chris Arsenault until the tragedy, and I don't understand how I didn't know him because I just don't understand how, but I'm thankful through his death has brought so many thousands, probably millions, of people together that didn't know him, that hear his story, that has heard his story and that is like, oh my god, what a tragedy but what a great man to do the things that he did on earth while he was alive. He I mean his life story is so remarkable that I truly, truly believe in my heart that there should be some type of movie in his honor, made for about him, because he went through so much, even before the cast. He was just even back in the day reading his story. This man was just so amazing in the things that he did, was always a person that helped others. Now you don't always have jealousy to come against you when you are doing something good, always going to be somebody out there trying to um, come against you and tear down your good character, make people turn against you or whatever. But he stood the test of time right to the end and the story is remarkable. It only shows in his death. It only shows what a great and wonderful man he was here on earth and what a difference he made in these very troubled times. He made a great and wonderful man. He was here on earth and what a difference he made in these very troubled times. He made a great difference and some people would say, well, yeah for cats, but yeah for cats for for an animal, for people, animals, not people, for animals that cannot speak for themselves, you know, and for those who are helping, who are supporting this cause, who are leaving letters and leaving donations and supporting this and rescuing those animals, like Strong Island Animal Rescue and Paws of, you know Paws of War, I believe it is. You know Paul's War, I believe it is, I mean, and so many others. And again, his best friend, lisa Ager. I think I just hope I got the name right. I just hope that a movie is made about Chris's life. I think he deserves it. I think he deserves to have a movie made about his life.

Speaker 1:

A lot of people are asking me why am I still? Just? You know we are living in lots of troubled times right now, so a lot of people are like you just seem to have your head on straight and you just seem to go forward Like everything is cool. Well, I'm keeping a cool head. Why should I let myself get caught up in all this propaganda stuff going on? I know people who have been affected but at the same time I got to keep going. I can't hang my head, I can't. I know I'm not gonna allow myself to be caught up in the things that's going on. I'm just not around me in the news. I mean, um, I'm really just more concerned about what's going on with these cats. I'm more concerned with that and things that's going on with that. That is my main concern. And, guys, again you're going to hear noise just because I am outside. It seems like everybody wants to start driving and cranking up their cars when I'm on here, but I I don't care about all that.

Speaker 1:

So I just want to just say that I'm all of you are in my prayers, those who are rescuing those sick and injured cats and putting your time and your sleep on hold. I commend you highly, highly and you're in my prayers, you're in my thoughts. I mean I thank God for you guys. What you are doing, I mean I thank God for you guys. What you are doing is so remarkable. I thank God for you all and for those out there who can donate to this. It's a GoFundMe page out there. Please help them in the things that they're doing and, like I said, I'm probably not getting caught up in all the news and the propaganda stuff, but I am very concerned about this right here. This touched my heart really deeply and so I I'm just. I'm just so thankful that these wonderful souls are out here doing all that they can do to you know, to help see Chris Arsenault's dream continue, because I really feel like it should continue.

Speaker 1:

He was doing a wonderful work and his death again has brought so many of us together. You know I didn't know him two weeks ago, but I thank God that I'm very sad about the tragedy, but I'm so thankful that I was able to read his story and to to support the story and to donate to fund me and to do things to help way down here in Georgia. So you know, I'm just thankful. He just showed you what a wonderful person he was, even in his death. He's brought so many of us from different countries, from different states. He's brought us together and I think that speaks volumes about what a person he was in life and, again, you're going to always have when you're doing something great and when you get a good name and you've made a good name for yourself, there's going to always be people out there who's going to try to bash you and be jealous of you.

Speaker 1:

But you have to go on. And I appreciate him and how he he went on. He went on and just the thought of how he saved so many of those cats Because he could have easily just thought of himself, but he didn't. He kept going in and trying to save as many as he could and he did save a lot of them, although a lot of them did lose their life. But it's so sad life, but it's so sad. God is so sad, but many of them made it out as well. So, again, with all the bad news going on, there's still good things. There's still things to be grateful for. I'm grateful for life, health and strength.

Speaker 1:

Um, I don't waste my time getting caught up in all the stuff that people are getting caught up in and people say, well, you've been affected. No, I haven't, but I do know people who are affected by some of the things that's going on. But at the same time, I'm keeping myself away from all of the propaganda, all the drama, all of that stuff and just trying to concentrate on things that really matter, because, at the end of the day, your piece is what you make it. If you want to be miserable by looking at the news every day and getting caught up in that, then you could do that. But, as I said in one of my other podcasts, I'm not going to do that. I choose not to do that. No, it has not touched me, but that doesn't mean it hasn't touched other people the bad things. But at the same time, my advice to them, my answer to them, is going to be the same thing Just get away from the television if it's affected your life.

Speaker 1:

Learn how to pray, learn how to put God in your life, because that's where I find my peace. I find peace in God. A lot of people don't believe in the Lord. They don't believe in God. So I always say this podcast is not for those who don't believe in God or the Bible, but I find my peace in the Lord and that's why, in these troubled times, they got everybody going around doing everything that they're doing. That's why I can walk and hold my head up high, stick my chest out and be at peace, because the Lord is my shepherd and a lot of people don't understand that, but it's okay. Those who do understand that, then I am speaking to you.

Speaker 1:

So I'm grateful to the Lord again for life, health and strength, because every day that I wake up is a blessing. Every day that I wake up in my right mind, every single day that I wake up and I'm able to do things for me, able to shower and put on my clothes and eat, you know, all these things that I could do for me every day I could do. That I'm grateful. So that's why, when I go forth, I am so grateful and that's why I can't get myself caught up again in the propaganda stuff that's going on in the news. All of the politics, the political stuff. I refuse to get caught up in it. So, yes, I'm going to stay at peace about that. People don't understand that. I'm sorry, but I'm not sorry.

Speaker 1:

So again, I'm trying to concentrate on something that really matters and I'm just grateful, and I want to give props to those individuals who are trying to keep Christopher Arthur Nault's dream alive with the happy cat sanctuary. A movie should be made about this. I really want to put my best foot forward. I think a movie should be made about this. So many of us out there who didn't know chris before his death, we feel his story should be told. I there's a story there. I mean, there's an Oscar winning story there and yeah, it's stories like that that inspire people.

Speaker 1:

And so I just want to come on and speak about those people who are continuing to lend their hand, those people who are sending up well wishes, who are making donations, who are praying, who are rescuing those cats, who are doing things. And this is what my thoughts are today. It's not what the politicians write. My thoughts are not with that. My thoughts are with this. So that's where I am putting my thoughts and my prayers. So thank you all for listening. I don't know if I gave you a place to write to me, but you can write to me at swarangrutina, at gmailcom.

Speaker 1:

And I want to say last night I was in such a rush when I got off that I lost one of my phones and I was about to panic, but thank goodness that I didn't panic. So, anyways, I got to go one of my phones and I was about to panic, but thank goodness that I didn't panic. So anyways, I gotta go. So thank you so much. That little sign was saying, okay, you went over your time. Uh, thank you all for your, for your help and everything. So God bless you. I hope all of you have a wonderful, wonderful weekend. Um, try to hold your head up, and it was really hard in these troubled times. And, yeah, get to know the lord if you don't know him. And that's where my peace is, and I'm sure he bring you peace as well. Thank you so much. Thank you for listening. God bless you. Have a wonderful, wonderful day. Goodbye.