He transported the animal inside his jacket while navigating the remaining five miles of his trip home.
"I only had about 5 miles left and the kitten was perfectly calm on the way home," said Diego, rescuer.
The kitten remained tranquil and closely attached to Diego's side during the ride.
"He just buried himself into my side and I'm guessing that kept him relaxed," said Diego, rescuer.
At home, the kitten, named Lucky, initially hid in a closet and hissed during hourly welfare checks.
"I would check on him every hour and try and make him feel comfortable," said Diego, rescuer.
The animal's defensive behavior subsided after a few hours of quiet acclimation.
"After a couple hours, he stopped hissing at me and started to let me hold him," said Diego, rescuer.
Diego's young daughter, Allison, quickly formed an immediate bond with the new pet.
"It was almost instant that my daughter started asking about the kitty and wanting to pet him," said Diego, rescuer.
The child's morning routine shifted to prioritizing checking on the kitten above all else.
"When she gets up in the morning, she would always ask for 'Mommy' and now she asks for 'kitty' … that's when I knew she was attached," said Diego, rescuer.
The family ultimately decided to permanently adopt Lucky into their household. "I've always brought animals home," said Diego, rescuer.
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Diego stated that assisting distressed animals is a longstanding personal instinct. "I can't stand to see animals in need," said Diego, rescuer.
