A Postal Service employee who saved a customer being attacked by a dog received the top hero of the year award from the National Association of Letter Carriers this week.
Philip Moon, an Amarillo, TX, letter carrier, was in his delivery vehicle last fall when he saw the woman being attacked. He pulled the customer into his vehicle, called 911 and removed his shirt to use it as a compress on her wounds.
Authorities credited Moon with saving the woman’s life twice — once from the attacking dog and then from bleeding to death from the bite wounds.
“I don’t consider myself a hero. I’m just very grateful, honored and thankful that I was in a place where I could be of some assistance to somebody in need,” said Moon, who was recognized March 27 as the National Hero of the Year at the union’s annual awards luncheon in Washington, DC.
The union, also known as NALC, also recognized three letter carriers as regional heroes: Timothy Martin of Hamburg, NY, who spotted a fire near a customer’s home and guided the woman and her dog to safety; Dominic Jack of Plaquemine, LA, who helped evacuate the occupants of a burning home; and Randall Fields of Boulder, CO, who used his belt as a tourniquet to aid a customer who was struck by a car.
The Humanitarian of the Year award went to Harry Bittner, a Riverton, NJ, letter carrier who is a member of a musical group that raises money for families in need.
The Partnership Award was given to Earnest Twomley, David Correa, Heriberto Rodriguez and Daniel Weber, a quartet of New York City letter carriers and city carrier assistants who help children in need during the holidays.
Two letter carriers also received the union’s Vigilant Hero Award: Tommy Howe of Taunton, MA, who aided a customer stung multiple times after his lawnmower struck a beehive, and Kyle Mailman of Wichita, KS, who detected the smell of gas at a residence and alerted the homeowner.
Honorable mentions went to letter carriers Timmye Crowley of Billings, MT, who alerted a sleeping man to a house fire, and Brittany Giles of Port St. Lucie, FL, who helped a child who was being bullied.
A panel of independent judges determined the recipients in each category.
Several of the union’s honorees have also received Postmaster General Heroes’ Awards from USPS.