Heroic Postal Delivery Man Saves Unconscious Woman's Life After Finding Child In Street
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - For nearly 150 years letter carriers have delivered us our mail, but one postal worker has added a new title: Life saver.
While delivering the mail carries a great responsibility, Stephen Garofalo recently makes it personal, reports CBS2's Steve Overmyer.
"I feel like I'm part of this community," said Garofalo. "Actually I'm here more than my own community."
He knows the neighborhood in Wayne, N.J., and seeing a familiar 2-year-old child outside raised a red flag.
Garofalo has been on the delivery route for 32 years and sees the family every day.
"It did look out of place," he said. "So when I grabbed the child I said, 'Where's your mother?' and he pointed inside."
Inside the child's house, his mother, Stephanie Wilson, was having a bad reaction to her medication.
"She was laying there unconscious," said Garofalo. "That's when I called 911 and the first responders (got) here as fast as they could to render first aid."
Wilson was revived, and in her mind, saved.
"If he didn't try to help you, what would've happened," Overmyer asked.
"I have no idea what would've happened," said Wilson. "If it wasn't for him, the EMT wouldn't have gotten there as quickly and I would've been brought to the hospital."
Neither rain nor snow can stay these postal couriers from their rounds, but you don't need to follow a motto to be a good person.
"He's an amazing guy in general," she said. "You don't think of him as a postman, you think of him as a guy who walks around. Honestly, he's like another neighbor.
"Every time I see him, he says 'How are you doing today?,'" said Wilson. "I say I'm doing good and thank you very much. I thank him every day."
This morning the United States Postal Service presented him with a rare honor: The Life Saving Award.