South Side letter carrier saves elderly woman’s life after noticing uncollected mail

CHICAGO - A South Side letter carrier is being hailed as a hero for saving the life of an elderly woman.

Dori Carson recently noticed mail stacking up at one of her customers' homes, prompting her and a neighbor to take immediate action. Fire officials said their quick thinking made all the difference.

The letter carrier, who's worked on South Drake Avenue in the city’s Mount Greenwood neighborhood for more than five years, does more than deliver. 

She is adored by neighbors; likewise, she's learned their names and has even gotten to know their habits.

"Just a smile sometimes is all somebody needs," said Carson.

That's why, Carson says, it didn't sit well with her when she returned to her route after Columbus Day Weekend to see that a longtime resident hadn't touched her mail. Packages were also stacked up on the woman’s porch.

"Noticed it was three days' worth of mail," said Carson. "I'm like, well, this isn't right because she normally gathers her mail every day."

Carson collected the items for the customer, who is in her eighties.

"Began knocking on her door so I could hand it to her because I know she’s elderly, but she didn’t answer," said Carson.

Carson, who has worked for the U.S. Postal Service for about 12 years in total, alerted a neighbor to her discovery.

"That’s when I became concerned and I called for a well-being check," said neighbor, Peggy Mason.

First responders arrived and made their way inside, where they found the woman had fallen. She was at the bottom of her staircase—unable to move or phone for help—and reported she’d been there for three days.

"They said that they're not sure how much longer she could survive like that, and they said she was changing a lightbulb and had fallen. They said she was extremely grateful. She was hoping that one of the neighbors would see something and call," Mason shared.

Danielle Young, manager of the Mount Greenwood Post Office, tells FOX 32 Chicago that she is extremely proud—but not surprised—Carson trusted her intuition and acted on it.  

"It means the world to me to know that I have such wonderful carriers underneath the roof of where I manage that actually have the same feeling that I had when I was out here carrying mail," said Young.

The elderly woman was taken to the hospital, and she is recovering.

It’s an outcome that may have ended differently if it weren't for the close attention Carson was paying, along with the care of neighbors.

"It’s a really great feeling and it’s just a reminder that we all need to look out for one another, to check on our neighbors," said Carson.

Neighbors, on Friday, praised Carson as a caring and kind letter carrier, telling FOX 32 Chicago that they feel lucky to have her.