Belleville mail carrier saves homeowner’s life with wellness check

Ballenger was on his normal 51-mile route, covering rural parts of St. Clair County. He was in the 1700 block of Mascoutah Ave. when he said something to a neighbor about the homeowner he hadn’t seen in days.

A wellness check was made, where the 93-year-old homeowner was found on the floor.

“It sounds like he had a stroke and had fallen on the bathroom floor and was laying there for three days without any food, water, or anything,” Ballenger said. “Had they not checked on him, it could have been a lot worse.”

The homeowner was transported to an area hospital.

“I didn’t think I did anything heroic; I was just looking after a fellow person and making sure he was doing okay,” Ballenger said.