The Hero Who Saved Bunny From CA Blaze Comes Forward

VENTURA, CA — It was the video that gave all who watched it hope when it felt like all hope was lost. A young man, obviously distressed, was captured on camera attempting to rescue a small rabbit from the roaring flames in the early days of the Thomas Fire. His emotions were raw though his nerves were solid. The rescuer refused to give up until he had the rabbit safe, out of harm's way.

That video went viral, (see the whole video below) spreading across news channels and social media nearly as fast as the Ventura wildfire. But when another stepped forward claiming responsibility, Caleb Wadman knew that he was the one who saved the wild creature.

In an interview on Inside Edition, Wadman said that after he rescued the rabbit, he took it first to a local vet and then to the California Wildlife Center.

"In the video that everybody sees, I was going crazy because she was screaming," Wadman told Inside Edition interviewers. He described the intense heat. Wadman then took the bunny to a nearby veterinary clinic, and then, to the California Wildlife Center.

The bunny is currently undergoing care at the CWC for burns to her ears and feet, according to that facility.

"The rabbit is currently being cared for at CWC. It is still very early in her treatment, but at the moment, she is stable," Dr. Duane Tom, the director of the California Wildlife Center said over Facebook. Tom told Inside Edition that the rabbit truly needed medical attention.

Though Oscar Gonzales claimed responsibility within hours of the video's posting, his story didn't add up to many media channels. His story of transporting a white rabbit and its family across the road didn't add up to intense scrutiny.

A thorough examination by NBC4 showed that while Gonzales was wearing a red sweatshirt, his shorts did not match the man in the video.

A side by side comparison on Inside Edition shows a mirror image of the rabbit rescuer that is indisputable. His actions resonated with a country in need of something and someone to believe in after the horror of watching California burn.

The Thomas Fire continues to burn along the California coastline and is one of the largest fires in California's history.

Photo: Caleb Wadman and Bunny Reunite, via Youtube