When Letter Carrier John Townsend was assigned Route 24 earlier this year, he had no idea he would end up saving a customer’s life. Townsend started his appointed rounds in the San Diego area as he does every day, but after an hour of delivering mail, he saw an elderly lady fall by the front door of her home, badly injuring her left arm and elbow.
“I was shocked,” said Townsend. “I had never seen a customer fall like that. I immediately assisted her up and onto a nearby chair.”
The customer was grateful that Townsend was there at the right time. “He was such a nice gentleman,” she remarked. The elderly woman was home alone at the time of the incident and the situation could have been much worse if she did not get the immediate attention that Townsend provided.
After ensuring that she was out of harm’s way, Townsend continued on his appointed rounds.
A few days later, a letter arrived from the customer’s daughter thanking John and praising him for helping her mom. Serra Mesa Customer Services Manager Peter Alfaro said, “If it wasn’t for this letter, we would never have heard about what he did. This speaks volumes about John’s character. He wasn’t looking for recognition, just looking out for his customers.”