one branch for their heroic and humanitarian accomplishments · 2014-09-04 · ings,” Rolando said. “They don’t have costumes or secret identities. They didn’t know that they’d

NALC honors six carriers andone branch for their heroic andhumanitarian accomplishmentsby naming them NALC’s 2011Heroes of the Year. >

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LETTER CARRIERS NOVEMBER 2011 I POSTAL RECORD 23

hat does it mean to be a hero?Everyone knows what heroeslook like on TV or in themovies, but real-life heroeslook different. Sometimesthey look like letter carriers.

“Letter carriers feel the pulse of everyday lifeas they stop at every home and business alongtheir routes. They can tell when something is notright, and they are often the first to act, some-times putting their own lives at risk,” NALC President Fredric Rolando told the large groupgathered for the presentation, an assembly thatincluded the union’s resident national officers,leaders of other postal unions, top Postal Serviceexecutives and other honored guests.

24 POSTAL RECORD I NOVEMBER 2011 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF LETTER CARRIERS

“[Our heroes] cannot leap tall build-ings,” Rolando said. “They don’t havecostumes or secret identities. They didn’t know that they’d be called upon.But, on the streets where they deliverthe mail, they were indeed called upon.”

In the yearly event showcasing spe-cial acts of bravery and compassion byletter carriers, the NALC honored sixmembers and a branch as its 2011National Heroes of the Year during a celebratory luncheon in Washington on Sept. 29. The gathered crowd weremoved to applause and to tears by theemotional stories.

Before presenting the awards, Rolandothanked the panel of independentjudges who reviewed the stories aboutheroic and humanitarian acts publishedin The Postal Record between July 2010and June 2011. Those who selected thisyear’s recipients were: Bud Biscardo,AFL-CIO Community Services liaison at

the United Way of America; RichardBowers, chief of the Montgomery County, MD, Department of Fire and Rescue Services; and RichardDaschbach, chair and chief judge of the Employees’ Compensation AppealsBoard at the U.S. Department of Labor.

Rolando also recognized a number ofspecial guests, including Postal Regula-tory Commission Commissioner NanciLangley, National Postal Mail HandlersUnion President John Hegarty, USPSDeputy Postmaster General Ronald A.Stroman and USPS Vice President ofLabor Relations Doug Tulino.

The president then introduced Post-master General Patrick R. Donahoe, not-ing to the audience that the postmastergeneral sends hundreds of letters out toletter carriers each year to acknowledgetheir brave deeds.

In brief remarks, Donahoe said, “It’sgreat to see letter carriers represent so

NALC President Fredric Rolandoopens the ceremony.

NOVEMBER 2011 I POSTAL RECORD 25

Below: Postmaster General Patrick Don-ahoe thanked the carrier heroes for theservice they give to their communities.Bottom: Rolando expressed his pride inthe heroic and humanitarian deeds thatthe award winners performed.

well,” citing the NALC Food Drive, theMuscular Dystrophy AssociationTelethon and those who give bone mar-row to save lives. He praised “those whorespond in true times of need, like theheroes we have today.

“Let me thank everyone here todayfor the excellent representation andexcellent service that we give the Ameri-can public,” Donahoe concluded.

Rolando then recounted each hero’sstory to the crowd before presenting the awards.

The 2011 NALC Heroes of theYear are:

National Hero of the Year: KeithMcVey of Akron, OH Branch 148, whois a three-time hero, recently performedCPR on a man who was not breathingand, in the past 20 years, has also pulleda drowning girl from a lake and saved ateenager who tried to take his own lifeby jumping off a bridge.

National Humanitarian of the Year:John Conde of Wilmington, NC Branch464, a Bronze Star winner and Iraq vet-eran, went on a medical mission to theDominican Republic and assisted in 30surgeries and helped 50 seriously illpatients.

Branch Service Award: Wheeling, ILBranch 4739, whose members workedwith the USPS to ensure that a boy with

inoperable cancer fulfilled his lifelongdream of becoming a letter carrier.

Eastern Region Hero: Paula Johnsonof Lynchburg, VA Branch 325, who res-cued a 95-year-old customer from herburning home.

Central Region Hero: David Bartawayof Western Wayne County Branch 2184,whose keen eye on his route helpedpolice track down and arrest a habitualburglar.

Western Region Hero: Dustin Lawsonof Shawnee, OK Branch 883, who pro-vided eye-witness information to policeabout a robbery in progress at a phar-macy where he was delivering mail,leading to apprehension of the suspects.

Special Carrier Alert Award: LauraGaribaldi of Garden Grove, CA Branch1100, who jumped into an 86-year-oldcustomer’s swimming pool to help theman and his daughter escape after theirvehicle became submerged.

More details about each hero’sactions appear on the following pages.

“You may never see [these heroes]immortalized in a comic book, or in aHollywood movie,” Rolando said, “butthese are real people who have per-formed real heroics. They represent thenation’s letter carriers well—and forthat, we are proud of them.” ✉

Shouts coming from the parking lot ofa laundromat across the streetcaught the attention of Akron

Branch 148 member Keith McVey.That day, in July 2010, he had been on his usual rounds to an apartmentcomplex on the route he had had forabout 22 years.

McVey ran over to evaluate the situa-tion and, upon moving closer, saw anunconscious man lying in the back of apickup truck. He had apparently fallenand hit his head in the truck, and anotherman was yelling at him, shaking and hit-ting him, trying to revive him. “He hadhim by the shoulders and was trying toget his buddy to come to,” the carriersaid. McVey—who had been in the AirForce and also had served as a firefighterand emergency medical technician beforejoining the USPS as a carrier 30 yearsago—rushed to the scene to take over.

McVey and another man carefullypulled the man out of the pickup. Theyplaced him on the ground to start CPRuntil an ambulance arrived. “The back ofa truck is not a place you want to dosomething like that,” McVey said.

The man wasn’t breathing. “He was real gray,” McVey said. “His lipswere purple.”

As a crowd began to form, McVeystarted chest compressions and forcedair into the man’s lungs. A woman joinedthe group and held the victim’s wristwhile searching for a pulse, which re-turned after McVey had performed CPR.“I was as surprised as anyone else that hestarted breathing again,” the carrier said.Paramedics arrived within a few minutesto take the man to the hospital.

But McVey’s heroics don’t beginthere—the carrier has been recognizedfor saving lives twice before. Almost 20years ago, McVey witnessed a teenagerwho tried to take his own life by jump-ing off a pedestrian bridge on a snowyday. McVey rescued the teen, coveredhim with blankets and helped keep himalive until an ambulance arrived. Andtwo years before his latest feat—almostto the day, in July 2008—he jumped intoa nearby lake to save a drowning girl. (See the January 2009 Postal Record formore details.)

“After three times, I’m beginning tothink there might be a little divine inter-vention of some sort,” McVey told theAssociated Press. “It is kind of eerie.”

NALC President Fredric Rolando toldMcVey: “Keith, you are the best inter-vention anyone could hope for. Youenter people’s lives, help them whenthey most need it, and we’re all betteroff for having you here among us.”

In selecting McVey as the 2011NALC National Hero of the Year,judges pointed out how the carrier“demonstrates dedication and commit-ment to what the letter carriers are all about on a consistent basis.”

McVey has been getting media andattention for his heroics from all overthe place—including newspapers, theAssociated Press, local TV affiliates, andeven a letter sent from Germany. “Ofcourse I’m very honored,” he said ofbeing named National Hero of the Year.“It’s nice to think you’ve made a smalldifference in this big old world.”

But, he insists, “I was just in the rightplace at the right time.” ✉

Third time’s a charm

President Rolando presents the NationalHero of the Year award to Keith McVey(above). Among the crowd that attendedthe ceremony (below) were NALC’s resi-dent national officers, leaders of otherpostal unions, top Postal Service execu-tives and other honored guests.


This is not the first time John Condehas been honored as a hero.Before joining Wilmington, NC

Branch 464, Conde earned a BronzeStar as an Army captain in Iraq after hequickly organized a rescue mission. Hegot another chance to go on a mission ofmercy when he helped about 50 patientsin a single week as a medical assistant ata clinic in the Dominican Republic.

Conde, who has both EMT and mili-tary medical training, accompanied hiswife Jenifer, a physician, to thewomen’s clinic in the remote town ofSan Juan de la Maguana in April 2010.He assisted Jenifer and other doctorsfrom the New Hanover Regional Med-ical Center in Wilmington and from PittMemorial Hospital in Greenville, SC,with about 30 major surgeries and afew dozen outpatient treatments. Condestarted IVs, sterilized instruments andkept the clinic running smoothly so thedoctors could focus on their marathonsurgery sessions.

The trip was organized by Solid RockMissions, a Christian organization thatbuilt the clinic and a school in the town.

The patients in this rural region werepoor and also were isolated from med-ical care, Conde said, putting a highdemand on the doctors. That made serving them quickly a top priority.

“The lines would start as early as 7 inthe morning and patients were seenuntil 5 in the evening,” Conde recalled.“Some of them would ride on the backof a motorcycle from many miles away,only to find themselves riding back aftersurgery the same day.”

The routine was a snap for Conde,who has experience working under

pressure in foreign lands. Conde served two deployments in Iraq as an artillery platoon leader and signalcorps leader with the rank of captain.And now he can add “2011 NALCHumanitarian of the Year” to his list of accomplishments.

The judges praised Conde’s dedica-tion to the mission and his strong senseof teamwork. “Hedid so much,” theysaid. “There waswork to be done,and he got it done.It’s how letter carri-ers do things everyday. He clearlybrought his militaryexperience with himas well. He helpedmake the lives ofmany women andchildren better.”

Conde, who stillcalls everyone “sir” and “ma’am” thanksto his Army days, was humble about theaward.

“I’m honored to receive the award,”he said. “I think any mail carrier whowas presented with the opportunitywould do what I did. I look forward tocontinuing my humanitarian endeavorsboth locally and internationally.”

“John, we look forward to seeingwhat you do next,” President Rolandosaid at the ceremony.

Conde’s wife did not attend the cere-mony in Washington because she wasbusy caring for a recent special deliv-ery—the couple’s first child, Jacob, whowas born on Sept. 3. ✉

Giving back througha medical mission

Several of John Conde’s relatives attendedthe ceremony (below) to witness himreceive the award (bottom) for NALCNational Humanitarian of the Year.

Dark smoke swirling its way upfrom a customer’s house caughtthe attention of Paula Johnson

on Dec. 16, 2010. She hurried to thehouse to investigate. Through the win-dow, she saw 95-year-old Virgie Johns,whom Johnson had gotten to know overher nine-plus years on the route.

Johns was sitting in her usual livingroom chair, unaware of the smoke. TheLynchburg, VA Branch 325 memberwalked around the residence and sawflames curling out of a bedroom windowat the back of the house.

Johnson ran to the front porch andknocked on the door—to no response.“I kept banging,” she said, eventuallykicking the door while dialing 911.Johns finally responded. “She grabbedboth of my hands,” Johnson said, andinvited the carrier inside to get out ofthe cold. The carrier could see smokedrifting into the dining room. “No, Miss

Virgie,” Johnson replied. “You have tocome with me.”

She grabbed Johns’ shoes and led heroutside. “I was going to get her out,”Johnson said. “No way I was going to lether stay in there.” Firefighters soonarrived on the scene and told Johnson totake her customer to the truck so shecould keep warm.

The fire was determined to be causedby an electrical problem, with the dam-age confined mostly to the back bed-room, though smoke damaged anotherroom. Flames also damaged a neighbor-ing house.

After she made sure Johns was safe,the 18-year carrier continued on herroute. “I’m so happy I was there. I knew if I weren’t, she wouldn’t be heretoday,” she told the Lynchburg News &Advance. “I love my route and I love mypeople. I am their family and they aremy family,” she said.

In naming Johnson the 2011 EasternRegion Hero, judges said her attitude“epitomizes letter carriers everywhere.”They also commented that it was a verycourageous act since “she only had sec-onds to react.”

Johnson doesn’t consider herself ahero, though. “I am honored to receivethis award,” she said, “but what I didwas what any normal citizen or carrierwould have done.”

NALC President Fredric Rolando disagreed. “Paula, believe me,” he saidin announcing the honor, “to all of us in this room, and to your fellow carriersthroughout the country, you are a hero.” ✉


Growing infernodoesn’t deter carrier

President Rolando presents Paula John-son with the certificate proclaiming herNALC’s Eastern Region Hero.

Among the many well-wishers whojoined Johnson at the ceremony washer husband, Anthony.

David Bartaway noticed an unfamil-iar person walking in the neigh-borhood while on his route

April 12, 2010. “I knew he didn’t livethere,” he said.

The Western Wayne County, MIBranch 2184 member observed theman walking up to various houses,knocking on doors. Later that morn-ing, Bartaway saw the same man walk-ing around customer John Lemmer’syard, seemingly looking for an opendoor or window and getting on theporch to do the same. Then, the carrier said, “he took off running.”

Concerned, Bartaway called the localpolice to inform them of the suspiciousactivity. Meanwhile, Lemmer hadreturned to find footprints outside hisgarage door and a broken doorjamb anddoor, but the burglar had been unable toget inside.

By the time police arrived, the manhad already fled the scene, but Bart-away was able to provide police adescription and possible location of thesuspect. “I was watching out whensomething was unusual on my route,”said Bartaway, who has had this routethe past 18 of his 30 years as a carrier. “Ikept a mental note.”

Within minutes, officers were able tolocate the would-be burglar and arresthim. “They went over and knocked onhis door,” Bartaway said. They sawstolen items in his apartment fromanother burglary in the neighborhoodand obtained a confession from him. Hewas charged as a habitual offender andlater was sentenced to prison.

Bartaway said he just acted onimpulse. “I didn’t really think muchabout it,” he said. “I was just keeping an

eye on theneighbors.”

In selectingBartaway as the2011 CentralRegion Hero ofthe Year, judgescommented thatthe carrierdemonstratedexcellent situa-tional awareness,and that he is“the eyes, earsand hands of thecommunity.”

This was not the first time Bartaway,a former Marine, has been recognized.He also was named the NALC’s CentralRegion Hero in 2004 for risking his lifeto divert a truck heading toward peopleattending a festival in Trenton, MI. For that feat, the Carnegie HeroFund Commission awarded himthe Carnegie Medal, given tothose who risk their lives to anextraordinary degree while try-ing to save the lives of others.

Bartaway said he is humbledto be selected as an NALC Herofor a second time. “I didn’t thinkthis could happen twice,” hesaid, “because lightning doesn’tstrike twice.”

NALC President FredricRolando praised the carrier.“Clearly, this is a man whoknows how to look out for trou-ble and isn’t afraid to confront itwhen it comes calling,” he said.“David, we are honored to giveyou this award—again.” ✉


Crime spree preventedby repeat hero

David Bartaway’s wife, Teresa,(above) was among those onhand to honor the carrier.Bartaway was named CentralRegion Hero (below) for help-ing keep the houses on hisroute safe from thieves.


On his route in February, Shawnee,OK Branch 883 member DustinLawson went into Ralph’s Phar-

macy in the nearby town of Tecumsehto deliver the mail. As soon as he openedthe door to the pharmacy, Lawsonsensed that something was seriouslywrong. “It was kind of odd becausethere were a lot more people in thestore than usual. Everyone looked ner-vous,” Lawson said. “One of the girlsbehind the counter was crying.”

Lawson didn’t know it yet, but twoarmed men had invaded the store. Thepair had been on a drug-fueled crimespree, hitting pharmacies statewide.They had shot one victim, beatenanother, and carjacked two vehicles inthe nearby town of Konawa. The menhad even invaded a church day-carecenter, where they robbed two womenat gunpoint. Police had chased them asthey fled Konawa but lost track of thembefore they reached Tecumseh. Thedesperate gunmen had entered thepharmacy and immediately begun swallowing narcotics. They then beganmoving innocent bystanders toward aback room.

As he picked up the pharmacy’s out-going mail, Lawson heard gunshotsfrom a back room. The gunshots, itturned out, came from a pharmacyemployee who had opened fire, sendingthe attackers fleeing. The pharmacy’semployees had tried to set off a silentalarm to summon police, but the alarmhad failed, making Lawson their onlylink to help that day.

At the sound of the gunshots,Lawon’s instincts and training as a for-mer volunteer firefighter kicked in, and

he calmly went back to his LLV to gethis cell phone and call 911. As he waitedfor the police to arrive, he came face-to-face with one of the armed men leavingthe store.

Lawson believed that the sight of theletter carrier on the phone prompted thegunman to flee on foot. Police latercaught him and his partner, who had leftthe store in a van that Lawson saw anddescribed to police.

If the armed men hadn’t been inter-rupted, Lawson said, “it could have beena massacre.”

After assisting police, Lawson finishedhis route.

“It all happened very fast,” herecalled. “It’s definitely an experience Idon’t want to go through again. I have a6-year-old and a wife. Going throughsomething like this opens your eyes andmakes you think about how quicklythings can go wrong.”

When Lawson first learned he wouldbe honored as a hero, he didn’t think hedeserved it. “I felt like I was doing whatanyone would do.” After colleagues andfriends congratulated him, they con-vinced Lawson that his actions deservehero status because some people wouldhave “fled and not looked back.”

“Dustin Lawson showed an unbeliev-able display of courage and dedication todo the right thing,” the judges said. “Hehears gunshots, and he doesn’t runaway. He clearly risked his life to saveothers.”

“You have shown astounding courageand we honor you as our WesternRegion Hero of the Year,” PresidentFredric Rolando told Lawson. ✉

Carrier stares downarmed robbers

Lawson’s wife, Ashley (above), joinedDustin at the ceremony (top).

Laura Garibaldi heard a loud seriesof noises followed by a woman’sscreams as she started her route

the morning of June 14, 2010.The Garden Grove, CA Branch 1100

member approached the house whereshe heard the commotion. Lookingthrough the open garage door, she sawthat her 86-year-old customer, Mr.Riggs, had driven his car completelythrough his garage and into his back-yard pool, and that the man and hisdaughter were trapped inside the car.The vehicle was precariously tilted for-ward, partway into the water.

“I put my satchel down and ran,”Garibaldi said. As she did so, she yelled,“Hold on! Hold on! I’m going to helpyou!”

Garibaldi leaned into the pool andopened the door of the partially sub-merged car to help pull Riggs’ daughterout. Since the door was stuck againstthe side of the pool, she had to help thewoman maneuver to work herself loose.A customer who had heard the commo-tion and seen Garibaldi run over helpedRiggs exit the vehicle on the other side.Garibaldi called 911 as she was pullingat the door.

“I got really nervous,” she said,believing the woman needed oxygen.“And the man was bleeding from his

face.” Once both father and daughterwere clear of the car and the pool, thecarrier comforted her customers andkept an eye on them until responseunits arrived.

Once she saw that everyone was in good hands, Garibaldi, a 10-year letter carrier, continued on the routeshe’s had for the past six years,checking back later that afternoonto make sure her customers wereall right.

In choosing the carrier for the2011 Special Carrier Alert award,judges noted that “her situationalawareness is impeccable.” Theyalso said they were impressed thatshe didn’t hesitate—she sprang intoaction. “You only have seconds toget someone out if the car were tosubmerge,” they said.

NALC President Fredric Rolandosaid at the awards ceremony: “I want to take the opportunity tosay to Laura what I’m sure theRiggses said to her many times—thank you.”

Garibaldi said she would do itagain if she had to. “My dad alwaystold me to help others,” she said. “Iknew she needed help, and no onewas around.” ✉


Sinking runawaycar no match forthis carrier

Garibaldi checks in on her patrons(above), whose car went crashingthrough the garage and into the pool.For her quick response in getting thepassengers out of the car, NALCawarded Garibaldi with the SpecialCarrier Alert Award (below).

“This story was truly a tear-jerker,” the judges said ofWheeling, IL Branch 4739

letter carriers and other postal workersin Elgin, IL, who helped a boy get hisdying wish. He dreamed of being a letter carrier.

Joel Hasken had always loved themail. He waited eagerly for his letter carrier, Bruce Beu of Branch 4739, toarrive each day. While other kids playedhouse, Joel played “mailbox.” He eventagged along with Beu to the end of thestreet sometimes.

The second of three children of Faithand Lloyd Hasken of Elgin, Joel had aform of autism that could interfere withhis ability to communicate, but it didn’tsuppress his enthusiasm for life or hisdesire to greet people like Beu with afriendly wave.

In December 2009, when Joel was 12,his family noticed that he was limping

and strangely weak on one side of hisbody. A trip to the hospital revealed abrain tumor—one that could not beremoved surgically. After several weeksof treatment, it became clear that thegrowing tumor was not responding.Doctors predicted Joel would live another six to 12 months.

Faced with this devastating news,Joel’s mother approached John Serrato,a Branch 4739 letter carrier she knewfrom the family’s church. Could hehelp Joel achieve his dream of deliver-ing the mail by helping a letter carrieron his route?

Knowing Joel’s time was runningshort, Serrato took the request to stew-ard Stefania Alfano and the branch, whocontacted managers. The request wentall the way to L’Enfant Plaza in Washing-ton, DC. They got permission for Joel toput some mail in mailboxes and get atour of the Elgin post office.

But the mission to make Joel’s dreamcome true became more urgent whenJoel’s cancer grew much faster thanexpected. In late January, Joel wasreleased from the hospital to spend hislast days with his family at home. Bythen, the tumor had made him partiallyparalyzed and blind in one eye. Joel wastoo weak to walk a route or come to thepost office.

Letter carriers at Elgin’s two postalfacilities, along with other postal workersand managers, mobilized. “The intentionwas to bring joy to this child, but whathappened was so much bigger,” saidAlfano, who attended the hero awardsceremony on behalf of her branch withfellow steward Mary Deegan.

The letter carriers brought Joel hisvery own letter carrier uniform and hat,and they set up a special mailbox in the


Branch members,co-workers give gift to dying boy

Left: President Rolando presents theaward to (from r) stewards StefaniaAlfano and Mary Deegan, along withElgin Postmaster Susan Meathe.Bottom: Joel Hasken


front yard that he could see from hiswindow.

On Friday, Feb. 12, 2010 Elgin Post-master Susan Meathe, who also attendedthe hero award ceremony, went to Joel’sbedside and officially swore him in as anhonorary letter carrier. She brought withher an official proclamation by then-Post-master General Jack Potter declaring thatday “Joel Hasken Day.”

Then the letter carriers, joined bylocal firefighters and police officers, puton the best parade a boy could ask for.Deegan joined other postal workers todrive LLVs past Joel’s house. Each truckstopped to deliver letters and cards toJoel’s special mailbox. Beu, Serrato,neighbors, family and friends joinedJoel’s family in the front yard to acceptthe greetings and to pray for Joel.

Joel passed away that evening.“We didn’t get the chance to have the

kind of memories we would have likedwith Joel,” said Faith Hasken. “Thatgave us a great one.”

The next week, mourners overfloweda church to say goodbye to Joel. Themailbox that letter carriers had placed infront of his home to accept deliveriesnow stood next to his coffin, and morecards and greetings were delivered.Another parade of postal trucks now fol-lowed Joel’s body to a cemetery, whereJoel Hasken, letter carrier, was buried inhis uniform.

“Losing a loved one is never easy, buthaving to watch and wait helplessly forthe inevitable to happen to your child isunimaginable,” Alfano said. “The postalemployees of Elgin, which includedBranch 4739 members, responded tothe Hasken family in a way that onlyfirst-class people do, and that is with

love and compassion. Iaccept the 2011Branch Service Awardfor all the wonderfulmembers of thisbranch who selflesslytook time out of theirday to bring a little joyto a dying child andhis family. They trulyexemplify the caringand giving nature ofall letter carriers.”

Making a boy’sdream come true andgiving comfort to hisfamily came naturallyto Branch 4739 lettercarriers, since manyare active in other charitable and com-munity events. They raise about $1,000each year for MDA and have supporteda local orphanage with a clothing andcoat drive and needy schoolchildrenwith a school supply collection. Theyeven raised money to help the Haskenswith medical expenses after Joel’s death.

“Letter carriers should be exceedinglyproud of their uniform when they readthis extraordinary story,” the judgessaid, “because of a young boy whoadmired it and the letter carriers whodid all they could to make his dreamcome true.”

“This award goes to all of the mem-bers of Wheeling, IL Branch 4739, whoselflessly gave of themselves to bring alittle joy to a child and his family,” Presi-dent Rolando said. “They exemplify thecaring and giving nature we hope notjust letter carriers, but everyone, willwork to foster in this world.” ✉

Top: Joel Hasken’s funeral processionincluded a series of LLVs.Above: Joel’s family gathers aroundhis special mailbox.

Documents

one branch for their heroic and humanitarian accomplishments · 2014-09-04 · ings,” Rolando said. “They don’t have costumes or secret identities. They didn’t know that they’d