Autumn just got hit by a hit/run driver! 7:30 pm

My youngest son (15), and a friend of his actually saw her get hit. My son came up to my bedroom and told me, and at first, I thought he was kidding me (being a teenaged boy), but he told me he was telling the truth. I ran downstairs, outside and a neighbor was already walking towards Autumn's body with a bag in hand. I said to my neighbor "please don't touch her, she's my cat", my neighbor was crying her head off because she'd seen Autumn get hit. Autumn was already "gone" when I got to her body.

If my oldest daughter still has Autumn's pic on my old cellphone, I will put the pic of Autumn as my avatar.

I haven't shown emotion yet as I don't do that untill I am alone, and my children know this weird tidbit about me.

Autumn and I was really bonded close together. Every litter she had I needed to be there - her orders (she wouldn't have them untill I got home).

Autumn would move every litter she had into my bedroom, after she gave birth somewhere else inside the house.

I really will miss her waking me up at 5 am/greeting me at 6 pm to feed and spend some bonding time together. I really will miss her asking me if she could go outside - her meows would end in a upward sound, just like a question.

Please do not allow this to become a negative thread about " cats need to be kept indoors/spayed/nuetered" kind of talk, I knew - still it was my choice.

I had told my children and others not to let Autumn out at night and the reasons why (1) she could get hit by a car (2) she could get picked up and taken to an animal shelter (3) someone else could take her in and we might not see her again, but she got used to being outside at night, and they (including my DF) couldn't stand her constantly meowing to be let out every night after she'd gotten used to it, so outside she went.

It'll be a long time, if ever, 'till I find another best girlfriend like my girl
Autumn.