Rural Carrier Debbie Penn was making deliveries last winter in Frankfort, KY, when she grew concerned about a customer whose mail was piling up.
Penn alerted authorities, who checked on the woman and found that she was in dire need of assistance — struggling to survive in freezing temperatures without electricity or sufficient food and water.
As word of the customer’s predicament spread, Penn rallied community members to provide groceries and other essentials, and she checked daily to ensure the woman’s situation was stabilizing.
The customer later mailed a letter to the Postal Service, crediting Penn with a life-saving intervention.
“She is one of the kindest persons I have ever met,” she wrote. “She was always happy and full of energy, which was very uplifting to me. I was always happy to see Debbie.”
The woman added: “I am most grateful and expect a full recovery. Debbie is a person anyone would want to befriend for life.”