Mailman credited with saving elderly woman's life

GARDEN CITY (WABC) -- He is as much a part of St. Paul's Crescent as the people who actually live there.

On what could have been the last day of 87-year-old Madeline Wittman's life, letter carrier Mario Serrano noticed that something was wrong as he placed Monday's mail in her box.

Serrano realized Wittman had never picked up what he dropped off on Saturday.

"Something told me to go back cause there was two days worth of mail in there," said Serrano, "I heard running water coming through the window, and I heard some moaning. I thought somebody was singing in the shower actually, but then I realized she was actually saying 'help me, help me!' I pushed open the window to let her know I was there and called 911."

Turns out Wittman, who has lived alone since losing her husband four years ago, had spent two days on her bathroom floor. Paramedics rushed her to the hospital.

"Who knows what would have happened if Mario didn't act on his instincts knowing that he kept feeling something was wrong and he went back," said Garden City Postmaster Annette D'Amato.

Now Serrano's postmaster is burning with pride. She has submitted him for a National Hero's Award. When he returned to St. Paul's Crescent on Tuesday, it was like a rockstar had come to town.

He may be their hero, but Serrano himself isn't so sure. He insists he was just doing his job.

"She had the will to live. That has to be taken into account," added Serrano.

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