As the relentless Texas heat enveloped the Texas coast, the sky opened up to a torrent of rain. Abandoned and alone, a single mother cat did all she could to care for her young litter, three wild kittens darting between cars and searching for cover in the thicket of a nearby city park.

Through it all, photojournalist Matt Pierce was there, his camera rolling, as he documented their plight. While the persistent drizzle made the streets miserable, these cats fought against the elements with admirable grace. As they went about their day, the loving touch of their mother made their plight bearable. Her small gestures - nursing her young and cleaning their coats - meant everything in that moment.

At last, when the rain clouds dissipated, the cats meandered away and the mother's efforts were finally rewarded as she saw her family to safety. Her day, her story, forever captured in photographs and shared around the world, reminding us that we should never give up - even on the darkest days.