FRANKFORT, KY – The Postal Service has honored Frankfort Rural Carrier Debbie Penn as a Postmaster General Hero for her actions aiding a customer who had fallen inside her home.

This past winter, Penn noticed mail collecting at an address on her route and called the sheriff.  Upon hearing faint banging inside, the sheriff kicked open the door and found the elderly woman on the floor of her home. The customer had fallen and was in the cold without electricity or enough food for several weeks. Penn was told the customer most likely would not have survived many more days with the temperature outside below 30 degrees. Fortunately, she made a full recovery.

In a letter of thanks she wrote about the experience, the customer described Penn’s continued help after the incident, adding, “Debbie saved my life!”

Following the presentation at the Frankfort Post Office, Penn said, “I don’t feel like a hero. We are all put on this earth to give and help. You help your family, your friends, your neighbors. In my case, it was my customer.”
“What I would say to my fellow coworkers is—while you are on the street, pay attention. Remember we are working for the United States Postal Service and our customers. They are both depending on us daily,” said Penn.
The Postmaster General Hero Award is given to those who perform a heroic act above and beyond the call of duty while on the job. Penn received the award during a special ceremony at the Frankfort Post Office.

The Kentuckiana District serves ZIP Codes 400-409, 411-427 in Kentucky and 471, 476-477 in southern Indiana.

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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