Events Calendar
In This Section
Most Read Stories
Blogs:
First Bell - On Education:
A few words from Uncle Walt
Pets:
Pet telethon re-airs
The Heldenfiles:
Chipmunks "Squeakquel" on DVD/BD March 30
Akron Zips:
Late surge gives Zips ugly road win
Tribe Matters:
Blogmail response on Hafner
Cleveland Browns:
Stallworth's contract terminated
Balanced Ledger:
QB in Browns future: another mock draft
Kent State Sports:
KSU Notes – February 9
Cleveland Cavaliers:
NBA Power Rankings from Around the Internet
Buckeye Blogging:
Buckeyes grab 18 players on signing day
Varsity Letters:
Garfield at Buchtel basketball
All Da King's Men:
Palin At The Tea Party Convention
Blog of Mass Destruction:
What "We Now Know"
Akron Law Café:
Citizens United v. F.E.C. (Part 4): Kennedy's and O'Connor's Basic Approaches to Constitutional Decisionmaking – Top Down and Bottom Up
Car Chase:
Collector Car Hobby Loses One of the Best—Jim Roll
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Decisions Decisions: Credit Cards or Your Mortgage?
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Loucile is looking for a Lake Erie getaway in June for three kids, ages 1, 3, and 5.
Sound Check:
Talk of the Town – Top entertainment picks for the weekend
HRLite House:
Track HR Research
Akron Gamer:
'Tecmo Bowl' recreation of Super Bowl XLIV
See Jane Style:
Do IT this week: Layering
Mail carrier dries off and finishes his rounds
By Kathy Antoniotti
Beacon Journal staff writer
Published on Thursday, Jul 17, 2008
It's been more than 30 years since Keith McVey used the lifesaving skills he learned as a Boy Scout, but the letter carrier didn't let that stop him from jumping into Nesmith Lake to rescue a young girl Tuesday afternoon.
And like any dedicated letter carrier, after the good deed was done, he finished his route. Then, he finished a second one.
''If someone hadn't called to tell us, we wouldn't have known anything about it,'' said Memory Valentine, supervisor of customer service for the Kenmore post office.
McVey was delivering mail to boxes at King Apartments on Carnegie Avenue — just as he's done for more than 20 years — when he heard someone calling for help.
''I had my back to the water when I heard someone screaming,'' said McVey, of Barberton.
He turned around and saw a girl about 25 yards out in the water holding onto a ball, struggling and trying to stay
afloat.
She was shouting, ''Please, please help me. I can't swim,'' McVey said. Her younger sister, who was on the shore was also screaming, he said.
''I took my cell phone and wallet out of my pockets and whipped off my shoes and jumped in,'' McVey said.
McVey said the girl appeared to be about 11 or 12 years old.
When McVey reached her, the water was well over his head. She grabbed him and they both went under.
''I hope this goes according to plan,'' McVey said he remembers saying to himself.
McVey said he felt each of his 51 years by the time he got the girl to shore, when he heard applause from people who witnessed the rescue from the balconies of their apartments.
He said he doesn't know the identity of the youngster he saved.
''The woman watching the girls gave me a hug and was very thankful,'' McVey said.
McVey said he dried off with a towel someone handed him.
''As quickly as I got her out of there, they were gone,'' he said.
Rich Levers, head of leasing and maintenance for the apartment complex, said it was 20 minutes after the rescue before he spoke with the mailman.
''He was still soaking wet,'' Levers said.
The office staff made a sign that read ''Our Hero, Keith'' and placed it beside their outgoing mail on Wednesday.
Valentine said McVey never said a word about the rescue, didn't ask for help with his rounds and didn't ask for extra time to complete them.
''He saved this little girl's life and made up his time,'' she said. ''It's not the least out of his character.''
Kathy Antoniotti can be reached at 330-996-3565 or kantoniotti@thebeaconjournal.com.
It's been more than 30 years since Keith McVey used the lifesaving skills he learned as a Boy Scout, but the letter carrier didn't let that stop him from jumping into Nesmith Lake to rescue a young girl Tuesday afternoon.
Get the full article here.
Comments
Click here to post your comments
