Grateful gardener

Smiling worker stands next to postal delivery vehicle

Letter Carrier John Ruiz Jr. was delivering mail one day last spring in Lodi, CA, when he heard someone faintly asking for help.

He soon located a customer who’d fallen while gardening in her backyard, leaving her stranded without shade for over an hour.

Ruiz rushed to the woman’s aid, immediately called 911 and comforted her until paramedics arrived and took her to a hospital.

After she returned home following a lengthy recovery, the customer contacted the local Post Office.

“She is grateful to have John as her carrier, and if it were not for him, things would have been a lot worse for her,” said Officer in Charge Ronald Mabalot.


Employees featured in “Heroes’ Corner” also receive letters of commendation through the Postmaster General Heroes’ Program. The nomination form is available on Blue.