Jeff, KY, Rural Carrier Teresa Lewis was delivering mail on a spring day last year when she spotted a 3-year-old boy wandering alone in the path of roadside mowing equipment.
Lewis immediately stopped to check on the toddler, who was unclothed and covered in scratches and bruises.
The Postal Service employee put a jacket on the boy, who could not tell her where he lived, and sheltered him in her vehicle while she called 911.
Police officers soon arrived and eventually located the boy’s parents, who were unaware the child had wandered away from home.
The ensuing investigation led to the boy’s placement in foster care.