Josh Hefta, a postman, inspects his neighborhood every day. That’s how he knows when something’s wrong on Route 162 in Walsh County, North Dakota. That’s why he was skeptical when he reached the home of 94-year-old Alice Bachey and heard nothing.
Baschki-Post was always delivered manually by Hefta.
“Alice was just a nice lady who was just there by herself,” Hafta told the Bismark Tribune.
As the weather got colder, Hafta began delivering her mail to her door as a service and checking in on Paschke to make sure she was okay. Every day she gave him a can of Coca-Cola and a bag of Rice Krispies as a reward.
As a result, her failure to open the door set off an alarm in his mind.
“I thought I could hear someone in the house fainting,” he adds.
Hafta finally heard Bashki calling him.
“Come on,” I said. “I said I need help,” she explained. “He saved my life,” says the narrator. It’s a true story.”
Bashki collapsed and lay on the floor of her home for 20 hours, unable to get up or call for help. She knew the postman would arrive at 12:45 p.m. and that would be her only chance of getting help.
Hafta charged at Basshek’s door with all the strength he could muster, hoping to crush him.
“I struck it twice really hard, and it popped up,” he explained to WDAY6. “I suppose it’s the adrenaline.”
Paschke said, “I thought I was already in heaven.”
For rescuing Paschke, Hefta was given the Postmaster General Award, the greatest honor a postal carrier can earn, and his name will be put to the Heroes Wall at the Postal Service headquarters in Washington, D.C.
“I’m truly honored; this is the first time something like this has happened to me,” Hefta stated. “It’s a huge honor.”
Paschke is now a resident at the Grafton Nursing Home and misses Hefta’s afternoon visits. Hefta feels the same way.
He remarked, “Now I have to bring my own alcohol.”
Checking on senior citizens is part of Hefta’s training as a mail carrier, he says.
“I’m going to remember for the rest of my life, as long as my memory works,” Paschke added. “He was just a great mailman, and I’ll never forget him.”
Please tell your friends and family about this.