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Proud to Serve Proud to Serve is a semi-regular compilation of heroic stories about letter carriers in their communities. If you know about a hero in your branch, contact us as soon as possible at 202-662-2851 or at [email protected]. We’ll follow up with you to obtain news clippings, photos or other information. Honoring heroic carriers eroism, like the mail, comes in many packages—think of police Hofficers or firefighters. But for some citizens in need of assistance, their heroes come in the form of con- cerned letter carriers. Letter carriers are members of nearly every community in this nation and know when something is wrong. Spotting fires and injuries, they often are the first to respond. The following stories document their heroism. For them, delivering for America is all in a day’s work. Marine carrier not Long Island City, NY Branch 357 member scared of a little blood Joseh Urbina was presented with a Postal Kinston, NC Branch 1044 member Hero Award on National Superhero Day Kenny Goss was delivering mail on in April. April 22 when he was approached by the customer went out on the porch his customer, Bobby Baker, who asked and saw Goss a few doors down. “One of my Marines was for help. “Hey mailman, do you have a Baker’s arm eventually grew tired, shot in Beirut. I knew bandage?” Goss said Baker asked him. so Goss helped him keep it elevated. what to do because I had Goss asked to see Baker’s arm and “It was bleeding really good,” Goss saw that it was bleeding profusely. said. “One of my Marines was shot in done it before.” “I told him to raise his arm up,” said Beirut. I knew what to do because I Goss, a retired Marine who served for —Kenny Goss of Kinston, NC Br. 1044 had done it before.” two decades. “And keep pressure on Responding police officers told Goss it.” to continue doing what he was doing The man quickly went back to his until EMS units arrived to take over. house, and the carrier headed to his Baker was taken to the hospital, where LLV to call 911. Baker reappeared with doctors mended his punctured artery. a T-shirt to wrap around his arm. The patron’s niece called Goss to tell Baker told the carrier that he had cut his arm when he had tried to open him that her uncle might have bled to a window to let out some smoke as death had he not been there to help. he was cooking. He also reached for Baker told the Free Press that he be- a storm window to open. “When I lieved Goss was sent by an angel and is opened the outside window, the inside a good Samaritan. “A good Samaritan window went down on my wrist,” is somebody who will help you out,” Baker told The Free Press. Baker said. “He doesn’t have to be a The old window was not only loose brother or sister, but will help you out in the track, but the bottom edge of the in a time of need.” wooden frame was jagged, and so it But Goss brushed off any major punctured Baker’s radial artery. Baker credit. “I’m not a hero,” the 13-year had tried to stop the blood from spew- postal veteran said. “I just stopped ing out of the artery, but it was still the bleeding until the ambulance got bleeding heavily. Not having a phone, there.” 30 The Postal Record June 2014 Life-and-death situation showed up to offer thanks. third floor of the four-story building, The carrier had seen a girl screaming told The New York Daily News. “If it all in a day’s work from an apartment window. He deter- wasn’t for him, me and my daughter, It was just another March day for mined that the blaze was on the fourth God forbid, I don’t know.” Long Island City, NY Branch 357 mem- floor, and so he helped the girl and her “You need more people like him in the ber Joseph Urbina. He went out on his family escape. He then banged on the world,” Daniela Valic, a longtime resi- route last March, delivered the mail and door of the other 24 apartments to warn dent of the building, told the newspaper. came back to his station. Oh, and he other residents to flee, then continued “These people know me; they are like rescued dozens of patrons from their on his route. my extended family,” Urbina, a 27-year burning building. He received a lot of praise from his postal veteran, told the Daily News. Urbina didn’t even mention the inci- customers. “If I had not been in that building at dent when he returned to his post of- “I was taking a nap with my daughter that precise moment, who knows what fice. Co-workers didn’t learn of Urbina’s and someone started banging on the could have happened? It really blew my heroic actions until grateful fire victims door,” Maria Gomes, who lives on the mind. It was almost an act of God.” Neighborhood watch hile out on his regular child left noticed a man ing to the man to try to slow Wroute on Jan. 7, Akron, A sleeping hiding under him down and get a better OH Branch 148 member on a school a car who fit idea about what he was up Kevin Holland noticed some- bus was saved the subject’s to, when he saw a police thing suspicious. “I was just thanks to South description. car from a neighboring town walking on my route and Jersey Branch Martinez called saw someone walking into 908 member police, who ar- come down the street. He a vacant house,” he said. Joy Melita. The rested the man. flagged down the patrol car, The carrier noticed that the sleeping 5-year- “This type of and the police officers in the windows of the home were old boy was cooperation cer- car immediately recognized open, and that there were forgotten by the tainly makes our the man. They arrested the finger marks on them. “I got bus driver, who Kriatrina Martinez job easier and man after finding drugs and ‘Sherlock Holmes’ on it,” parked and left safer,” wrote other stolen items on him. he said. He checked with a the bus after delivering the police chief in a letter to neighbor to see if anyone other children to school. The her postmaster commending s a postal customer left has recently moved into boy woke up and left the Martinez. Aher car to put outgoing the house. They confirmed bus and approached Melita mail into a collection box that no one had, so Hol- hile training a new hire on her route and asked for last December, Raleigh, NC land asked them to call the help. Melita called police. Wand delivering mail on police. “Police were there be- In a thank-you note, the his route on Jan. 15, Provi- Branch 459 member Darryl fore I got back to my truck,” boy’s mother told Melita he dence, RI Branch 15 member Williams was emptying the Holland said. Responding knew he could trust a letter Robert Leigh noticed a young boxes, whom he noticed officers were able to arrest carrier. “That’s so good that man emerging from the the customer’s car rolling the trespasser inside the we have that reputation,” shrubbery beside a house on forward—she had forgot- home, and upon his arrest, it Melita said. The bus driver his route, carrying something ten to put the car in park. was discovered that he was faced disciplinary action. in his arms that appeared to Acting fast, Williams reached a suspect in another city for be a safe. Leigh asked the through the open window, a series of burglaries and for elivering the mail on a man where he was going, stealing a vehicle. Holland Dspring day, North Platte, and he began to tell a story grabbed the steering wheel laughed at the idea of being NE Branch 1258 carrier Kria- about coming from a friend’s and steered the car to a safe called a hero, though. “I was trina Martinez heard a police house where he had spent stop, avoiding passing traf- just doing my job,” the nine- broadcast about a criminal the night. Leigh was suspi- fic, parked vehicles and the year postal veteran said. suspect at large. She soon cious, so he continued talk- collection boxes. June 2014 The Postal Record 31 Proud to Serve Help on the way hile delivering the mail Branch 693 member Robert s Kinston, NC Branch 1044 this type of heart failure, and Won a Saturday afternoon Womacsko noticed that a Amember Joseph Huff was the Filson’s actions saved last May, St. Louis, MO Branch customer hadn’t picked up delivering his route one day Lascurain’s life. 343 member Darren Mack her older mail. He sensed earlier this year, he heard a heard a distant cry for help something was wrong, and customer call for his atten- edar Rapids, IA Branch over the hum of his vehicle. his instincts were right—after tion. The woman wanted the C373 member Debra Turning off the engine to hear he called police, the cus- carrier to help her special- Nunemaker noticed a few more clearly, Mack heard a tomer was found on her floor, needs son who had fallen things askew at a customer’s voice: “Help me, mailman!” incapacitated and in serious and was lodged partly under house as she delivered her He walked toward the voice, condition.

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