Mailman got no reply at 94-year-old woman’s door — then he heard a faint noise and kicked the door open
Being vigilant at your job is one of the smartest things you can do, especially if the job involves service and interaction outdoors. You never know when someone might need help, and the worst thing is to have been there and not realized how to help in due time. Josh Hefta was headed his way to make 162 stops to deliver mail, one of which included the home of 94-year-old Alice Paschke, per Inforum. Hefta could have delivered the mail to her doorstep, but instead, his vigilance and connection with his customers helped him save a life while on duty.
The mailman revealed he was familiar with his route and the residents along the way. He noted that Paschke was one of his mail recipients. “Alice was just a nice lady, and she was out there by herself,” Hefta said. He started bringing mail to her every day. He noticed that she had been getting slower due to age. However, one afternoon when he went to deliver mail as usual, he received no response. He knocked several times but received no answer. However, he paid close attention to figure out if something could be wrong. “I thought I could hear a faint somebody in the house," Hefta said. He quickly realized it seemed like it was a signal for help.
The mailman was unsure what to do after hearing the noise, as he had no means to enter. With no other option, he immediately knocked down the door and entered. To his surprise, he found Paschke had fallen and required help. She had fallen 20 hours earlier and couldn’t get to the door or the phone. She hoped that when the mailman came, he’d be able to hear her cries and assist. “I said, ‘Come in. I need help.’ He saved my life,” the 94-year-old gratefully noted. She mentioned that she thought she was done before the mailman arrived to help. To her luck, Hefta heard her faint cries and acted rightly to get her aid in time.
According to the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC), many heroes like Hefta go out of their way to notice people in need and help. NALC President Brian L. Renfroe said, “We are immensely proud. They represent our country’s best in public service. They truly are our heroes.” For his vigilant and brave act, Hefta was awarded the “Postmaster General Award,” the highest merit a mail carrier can receive. Additionally, his name was added to the “Heroes Wall” at the Postal Service headquarters, Washington. “I'm quite honored. I've never had anything like this happen to me. Pretty big honor,” he said.
He credited his training and also noted that it was his duty to check on people in need, like Paschke. The woman returned to the post office to thank and appreciate the mailman. After the incident, Paschke lived in a nursing home on a different route. She remained grateful to Hefta for going out of his way to save her life. “Just a good mailman, and I can't forget him. For the rest of my life, for as long as my memory works, I'm going to remember,” she remarked. However, in November 2018, one year after this incident, Paschke passed away at the Unity Medical Center Hospital, Grafton, North Dakota, per Tollefson Funeral Home.