Letter Carrier Charles Koontz was delivering mail in Lexington, NC, recently when he heard a woman yelling for someone to call 911.
The Postal Service employee parked his vehicle and ran over to the woman, who was standing by her car with the rear driver’s side door open.
The woman’s granddaughter had put her younger brother in the car seat incorrectly, and the child had become entangled in the shoulder seat belt. The strap was across the child’s neck, and he was screaming as the strap tightened.
Koontz called 911, then tried to cut the strap with a knife he had on him. When the knife didn’t work, he asked for scissors, which he used to cut the strap and free the child.
He stayed with the family until paramedics arrived. The child was not injured.
Employees featured in “Heroes” receive letters of commendation through the Postmaster General Heroes’ Program. The nomination form is available on Blue.
