Lee Hodges, 33, and Willow Rolfe, 29, began an epic road trip across North America in August 2019. Two months into their journey in their restored VW van, the couple decided to adopt a stray cat in Washington, DC. Many of us across the world have adopted stray cats, helping cats in need is a good thing to do. Lee and Willow wanted to rescue an animal since they had left their own two cats at home. Initially, they adopted a tiny black kitten named Molly, but sadly, Molly was unwell and passed away. Not long after, the couple rescued their kitty, Aimee, and the sweet cat has been traveling with them ever since. Lee and Willow like to joke that Aimee is “better traveled than most people.”

The couple and Aimee headed to Mexico, where sadly, Aimee was attached by some dogs, leaving her with a broken paw. So, the couple waited for the cat to get better before continuing with their trip.

Because of the pandemic, Lee and Willow have been wanting to return to their home in the UK. But there was no way they were going to leave Aimee behind. The couple had put years of planning into this trip, buying an old VW to restore in 2015. They quit their jobs and left their lives behind as they set out on their adventure across North America. The pandemic has been tough on Mexico, and many beaches and national parks have been closed. The trio has struggled to find a place to isolate without going over their budget of £17.50 per day. To make matters worse, the couple’s campervan broke down, leaving them stranded in Mexico just as they were about to begin making their way across the Atlantic. Lee and Willow are now facing further delays as they will need to fix the van and get to the US to catch a ferry. On top of waiting for extra parts, the couple is now facing the challenge of their humanitarian visas running out in February.