Letter carriers from across the nation have been selected as NALC’s Heroes of the Year for 2005, NALC President William H. Young announced, honoring the union members for their life-saving cool and courage, acts of compassion and devotion to the welfare of their patrons.

The formal awards were presented in a special ceremony September 28, which attracted dignitaries from Capitol Hill, the Postal Service and mailing industry, NALC’s sister unions and management associations.

Maine Merged Br. 92 member David Heald, who saved a badly injured motorcyclist from bleeding to death, was named as National Hero of the Year. He and the other award winners were selected by a panel of independent judges.

Heald, 42, was driving home from work when he came upon a gruesome accident in which a 26-year-old motorcyclist had smashed into a sedan, severing his leg three inches below the hip. Using life-saving skills he learned in the Navy, the letter carrier took off his shirt and covered the man’s leg to keep the victim from going into shock at the sight of the injury. The letter carrier then created a tourniquet with a leather bungee strap and tightened it around the severed limb until the bleeding ceased, holding on until emergency medical aid arrived.

Recipient of the union’s 2005 Humanitarian of the Year award is Juan G. Cordero of Central California Br. 231. Touched by the plight of two children on his route who said they received nothing for Christmas, Cordero went out and bought them scooters. When word of his generosity spread, requests flowed in from one child after another in the low-income neighborhood he serves. To meet the demand, he turned his garage into a repair shop and set to work
refurbishing used bicycles. More than 60 children have been the recipients of Cordero’s generosity.

Also honored:

• Willie G. Hayward, South Florida Br. 1071, Eastern Region Hero
• Thomas L. Ortosky, Cleveland, Ohio Br. 40, Central Region Hero
• Richard A. Bergonzi, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Br. 458 Western Region Hero
• Paula R. Peiper, a member of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania Br. 500, was named the recipient of the Special Carrier Alert Rescue Award, given in recognition of the many life-saving deeds that are fostered by carriers’ special relationships with their patrons.
• Minneapolis Branch 9 and St. Paul, Minnesota Branch 28 were jointly selected for the Branch Service Award.