What started as a desperate late-night mission to save a beloved family pet turned into a life-altering nightmare for one California dad.
Alberto Romero is now fighting through agonizing injuries after being electrocuted while trying to rescue his daughter’s missing cat in Tijuana on April 1. The shocking incident unfolded around 11 p.m., when the cat — missing for two days — was finally spotted perched on a third-floor balcony.
According to family members, Romero didn’t hesitate. His young daughter was desperate to get her pet back, and like many parents would, he sprang into action. But in a terrifying twist, he became entangled in live electrical wires while attempting the rescue — suffering devastating third-degree burns across his face, chest, arm, and side.
His wife, Guadalupe Romero Tosas, witnessed the horrifying moment unfold — and then stepped in to save his life.
“It was really horrible,” she said, recalling how she fought to free him from the wires. Once she managed to pull him away, she performed CPR as he lay unresponsive.
“When I screamed at him, ‘Stay with me,’ I don’t know if God heard me, but he started breathing,” she revealed.
Romero, a medical technician based in Temecula, has no memory of the incident — but the aftermath is something he’ll be living with for a long time. He’s now recovering at home, battling intense pain and open wounds… and facing the very real possibility that he could lose his hand.
The ordeal has taken another cruel turn. While recovering, Romero reportedly lost his job, leaving the family struggling to cover mounting medical bills and ongoing care.
Relatives have since launched a fundraiser, saying the family is doing everything they can — but the costs are overwhelming.
“He is out of work and struggling to afford the medication and care he needs to heal,” a family member shared.
What began as a father’s instinct to protect his child and her beloved pet has turned into a devastating fight for recovery — one that’s far from over.
