In the nick of time

Norfolk postman Jason Rees, from Swaffham Delivery Office, has been hailed a hero for saving an elderly customer’s life.

78-year-old Jennifer Eaton, of Lime Kiln Road in Gayton, got in touch with The Lynn News, to try to track down the postman she said she was indebted to for saving her life.

Mrs Eaton told the paper she had passed out in her house and had lain throughout the night without being able to move to call an ambulance. 

When she heard Jason putting her post through her letterbox, she called out to him. ‘I went to put the letters through the door and I could hear someone shouting for help,’ said Jason. ‘She was directly behind the door and had taken a bad fall in the hallway. I thought she had just fallen over and didn’t know that she had been there for a while.’

‘There was no one else due to visit me and I live on my own,’ said Mrs Eaton. ‘I was lying there with my mobile phone within six inches to one side and my landline on the other, but I just couldn’t reach them. I was snookered.’

Mrs Eaton said she was unable to remember what happened, but believes she was unconscious for at least four hours. Having regained consciousness at 10am, she was able to attract Jason’s attention at around 10.30am. Fortunately, the front door was unlocked at the time. 

After Jason called an ambulance, he comforted Mrs Eaton by providing her with water, a blanket and a pillow to lie on.

‘I was hoping I had strong enough signal to phone 111,’ said Jason. She started shaking and I assumed she was in shock. The ambulance arrived within 10 minutes.’

Mrs Eaton was taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Kings Lynn, where she stayed for five days, before being transferred to the Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridge for a heart operation.

She praised Jason for his kindness. ‘It was the most marvellous feeling to know I was saved,’ she said. ‘It was bliss to have a pillow…the floor was so hard, so it was nice to have that and a fur blanket. (Jason) was absolutely fantastic and made me feel better when I could easily have died.’

Mrs Eaton returned home on Friday 21 February after spending four weeks in hospital. ‘It was just fortunate she had mail that morning,’ said Jason. ‘I’m just pleased she is okay.’ 

Swaffham delivery office manager, Matthew Lomax, said: ‘Jason is a great guy and a terrific postman. His quick thinking led to Mrs Eaton getting the help she so desperately needed. We’re really proud of his commitment to his customers and his community.’

Jason’s actions demonstrate exactly why our postmen and women are such highly valued members of their local communities. We are proud of the work our people do in the community, which often goes far beyond simply delivering mail and parcels.