2004 NALC National Hero Kurt Spaller is congratulated by President Young

NALC President William H. Young presented the National Hero of the Year award to Kurt E. Spaller at a special ceremony at the Washington Court Hotel on Capitol Hill. Spaller, 37, a resident of St. Petersburg, Florida, is a member of West Coast Florida NALC Branch 1477.

Spaller was midway through delivering mail on his route on June 21, 2003 when he noticed people pointing to smoke coming from a building at the aged three-story condominium complex in St. Petersburg. Knowing from his deliveries which units were occupied, he began pounding on doors on the first floor and then went to the third floor to help several elderly people down the stairs. By the time he finished, the heat and flames from the five-alarm fire had singed the hair on his arms and legs. He later helped Red Cross officials identify which residents had returned north for the summer or were on vacation.

The union's National Humanitarian of the Year award was presented to John C. Frierson, 42, of Royal Oak, Michigan, a member of NALC Br. 3126, who donated life-saving bone marrow to a two-year-old leukemia victim and went on to form a non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness among minorities about the importance of signing up for the National Bone Marrow Donor Registry.

In handing out the awards, Young noted that letter carriers represent the front line of safety as they serve homes and business along their routes each day.

"They sense danger and recognize trouble, they are on the scene and willing to act, and their patrons and the general public reap the benefits," Young said. "For them, to serve means to protect, to assist, to help every citizen at any time the opportunity arises."

Postmaster General John E. Potter joined in congratulating the winners and noting that there are thousands of other postal employees who also do heroic and humanitarian deeds.

"They are very humble about it. It's just what they do," Potter said. "They don't think that they've done anything out of the ordinary, yet they are heroes. We have to take a lot of pride in our citizenship."

Three other NALC members were honored as regional heroes:

Eastern Region ~ Richard Fischer, 69, of Coral Springs, Florida, as Eastern Region Hero for helping lift a mangled vehicle to free a trapped baby under a car in Coral Springs on May 5, 2003.

Central Region ~ David D. Bartaway, 43, of Trenton, Michigan, as Central Region Hero for risking his life by jumping into a truck operated by a drug-crazed driver and diverting its path from people attending a festival in Trenton on July 9, 2003.

Western Region ~ Victor R. Soto, 47, of Las Vegas, Nevada, as Western Region Hero for saving a boy from a raging pit bull dog on January 24, 2004, forcing the canine back and warding off further assault on the severely injured boy.

Nevin V. Markel, 54, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, was presented with the Special Carrier Alert Rescue Award for heeding a call for help by Spanish-speaking patrons, calling 911, and following instructions to help deliver a baby. After paramedics arrived, Markel switched back from delivering a baby to delivering mail on his route.

Warwick, Rhode Island Br. 3166 was honored with the NALC Branch Service Award for a quarter century of support to blood drives of the Rhode Island Blood Center and also collecting names for the National Bone Marrow Donor Registry.