A postal customer in Lexington, KY, recently lost her home — but not her life — in a fire detected by an alert employee.
Carrier Technician Gerald Patrick was delivering mail when he noticed smoke billowing from a house. As he got closer, he saw that flames were quickly engulfing it.
When Patrick rushed to the front door and banged on it, an older woman answered — disoriented and unaware of the emergency. He led her to safety, called 911 and comforted her until firefighters arrived.
The woman’s husband later visited the local Post Office to thank Patrick, who was also commended by the Lexington Fire Department for his bravery.
“I’m very grateful for our first responders. I’m thankful that no one was hurt,” Patrick told the local NBC station after the ceremony.
“And I’m thankful to work for the United States Postal Service because we do look out for our customers,” he added.