BEAR CREEK – Climbing trees can be dangerous. Just ask Bear Creek Rural Carrier Derric Turman, who saw first hand what dangers tree-climbing can lead to.

Turman, a resident of Carthage, was hand-delivering a package to one of his customers, a 69-year old man, in his front yard when he noticed something didn’t seem right. “He was wandering around, seemingly delirious,” said Turman. “When I asked him if he was OK, he told me he’d just fallen out of a tree after sawing off a limb, and may have broken his arm; it appeared he might have gone into shock. I had him lie on the ground while I called an ambulance.”

Two minutes later, the ambulance arrived, stabilized the customer and took him to the hospital, where it was learned the customers’ wrist had broken in two. He was able to return home the following day with a cast. “His wife said it had to be God that sent me there at that time,” said Turman. “I don’t know what he would have done – he could have lost consciousness, or wandered into the middle of the road. The Lord was shining on me that day.”

“Derric’s actions are typical of how he is, both as a worker and as a person,” said Postmaster Sarah Zimmerman. “He works hard, makes good decisions and holds himself accountable for his actions. We’re fortunate to have him at the Postal Service, just as the customer was to have him come around when he did.”

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

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