Rural Carrier Patricia “Patti” Durrell was delivering mail last winter in Pomfret Center, CT, when she spotted an older man lying on the ground.
The 96-year-old customer had slipped on ice while taking his garbage out to the road to be picked up. Unable to lift himself, he was stranded in bitterly cold temperatures.
Durrell called 911 and gave the man her hand warmers and a blanket.
“I truly believe this man would not be here today if wasn’t for Patti — considering the temperature, his age and the fact that this road is rarely traveled,” said Caroline Gardiner, the local postmaster.
Durrell was recognized by the Postmaster General Heroes’ Program in 2016 after she reported a fire that had been sparked by a downed tree limb hitting a power line.
