November 2, 2015


Lifesaving Actions | Going the Extra Mile | Helping Communities After Natural Disasters


Team Members Perform Lifesaving Actions

Shaun O'Brien, Norway

Team Member Helps Rescue Children From House Fire in Norway

On route for deliveries, Shaun O'Brien noticed a house on fire and stopped to help. He noticed three children were trapped inside and alerted the fire brigade and neighbors immediately. Thanks to his quick reaction, the children were rescued from the burning house. We're delivering thanks to Shaun for his vigilance and selfless actions, which helped keep three children alive.

Ryan Busch, Olive Branch, Mississippi

Mississippi Team Member Delivers Urgent Medical Supplies

A FedEx Ground package containing urgent medical supplies was unable to be delivered, so when District Administrative Quality Specialist Ryan Busch of Olive Branch, Mississippi, was informed of the issue, he immediately called the service provider seeking assistance. He learned, however, that he would not be able to reattempt drop-off that night. As a result of Ryan's dedication to delivering for his customers, he volunteered to drive to the authorized officer's home, retrieve the package and deliver it to the recipient as quickly as possible.

Ryan spent more than two hours making the delivery, but concluded the trip by fulfilling his promise to one extremely thankful customer.

Angel Lourerio Mato, Kelsterbach, Germany

German Courier Goes the Extra Mile to Deliver Customer's Medicine

FedEx Express Courier Angel Loureiro Mato of Kelsterbach, Germany, was tendered a package to deliver containing medicine. Noticing the package was addressed to a passenger boat stationed along the Rhein River, he grew concerned that the boat would not be docked and the passenger would be unable to accept the delivery. Angel called the phone number listed on the package, and the captain of the ship, currently sailing on the river, answered.

The captain told Angel that a passenger on the ship was in urgent need of the medicine, but the boat would not arrive at the dock until Saturday. Angel was informed that without this medication the passenger would become extremely ill. Acknowledging the urgency, Angel made a commitment to deliver the shipment to the boat as soon as it docked. As soon as the ship arrived, he located the captain who accompanied him in hand-delivering the medicine to the passenger. Angel took ownership of the situation and delivered an outstanding customer experience. The passenger was extremely grateful that he was able to receive his medication and enjoy his vacation.

Thomas Martinez, St. Joseph, Missouri

Team Member in Missouri Delivers Chemotherapy Medicine to Customer in Need

On a Thursday afternoon, a cancer patient and his wife nervously awaited the arrival of a package containing chemotherapy medicine for treatment early the following Monday. What they didn't know was the shipment required the recipient's signature - which he wouldn't be home to provide due to the family's extensive time spent at a treatment center. The date of treatment was quickly approaching, but as the weekend began the customer's location fell in an out-of-service area. FedEx Ground Operations Manager Thomas Martinez of St. Joseph, Missouri, learned about the customer's situation and graciously volunteered to hand-deliver the package. Martinez went above and beyond to deliver the Purple Promise by making the 132-mile round trip to meet the patient's urgent needs.

Linda Morrow, Overland Park, Kansas

Customer Service Representative Helps Meet Patient's Critical Needs

FedEx TechConnect Specialty Customer Representative Linda Morrow works with FedEx's healthcare shippers as a member of the FedEx Premier Customer Service team.

Linda received a phone call from one of our customers inquiring about a package containing a diagnostic sample needed to determine treatment for a critical patient. A National Service Disruption from an ice storm prevented the Memphis FedEx Express Hub from completing its sort. After seeing that the package had been scanned into the Memphis Hub, Linda began making phone calls to try and pinpoint the location of the time-sensitive package. Linda reached out to Memphis Hub Trace, Customer Advocate Team and Memphis sort managers. When she reached Senior Manager of Hub Operations Shakil Khan, they worked collaboratively to get the package pulled and the truck pushed to the front of the line, enabling the package to be expedited to a lab for processing. Linda's initiative and loyalty went truly above and beyond in order to deliver the Purple Promise.

Christopher Chapman, Fresno, California

Team Member Helps Rescue Entrapped Driver in California

Courier Chris Chapman observed an accident in which a driver was pinned in a mangled car. Chris pulled onto the shoulder and ran across the street to see if he could help. As he approached the car, he found the driver unconscious and the car on fire. Chris attempted to free the man, but his leg was pinned. Flames were coming out of the engine, so Chris quickly ran back to his vehicle to retrieve the fire extinguisher and put out the fire. When the fire engine arrived, the crew used the Jaws of Life to free the driver. The ambulance then took him to the hospital. Chris' ability to assess and react quickly enabled police and fire rescue teams to do their jobs effectively and efficiently.

Danny Christopoulos, Ontario, Canada

Canadian Courier Performs Lifesaving CPR

Courier Danny Christopoulos arrived at a customer's security office for a pickup, and the guard sitting inside the security gatehouse looked pale and was short of breath. Danny knocked on the glass window in an attempt to ask the security guard if he was feeling OK. The guard collapsed and Danny ran for help. He found the maintenance officer of the building, whom he asked for the key to open the gatehouse and to call 911. He then asked an individual in the gathering crowd to go to the entrance to provide directions for the ambulance. Danny went inside, noticed the guard had stopped breathing and had no pulse. Danny put him flat on the ground and ripped open his shirt. He then asked the maintenance officer to grab a defibrillator and immediately started chest compressions. Getting no response from the defibrillator, Danny swabbed the security guard's mouth and began mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. The guard started to breathe again slowly, and Danny kept him awake until the paramedics arrived. Danny kept calm, took control of the situation and saved a life that day.

Justin Gordon, Montgomery, Alabama

Courier Helps Homeowner Survive Critical Injury in Alabama

Courier Justin Gordon was delivering packages in a rural area outside of Montgomery, Alabama. At one of his stops, a homeowner ran around from the side of his house. Justin was initially startled, but then realized one of the man's arms was badly cut and he was bleeding profusely from an accident with a power saw. Justin immediately called the paramedics, but would it be more than 20 minutes before they could reach the remote location. Justin used plastic bags from his truck as a tourniquet. The homeowner provided Justin his wife's cell phone number before he passed out, so Justin sent messages to the gentleman's wife. The paramedics credited Justin's quick and calm thinking for saving a life. The wife later phoned to thank Justin for his life-saving assistance and reported that her husband would survive because of his heroic actions.

Duane Elliott, Tampa, Florida

Team Member Helps Driver Who Suffered Stroke While Driving in Florida

Courier Duane Elliott was traveling on a two-lane road in Tampa, Florida when he noticed the car in front of him start to drift into the other lane. As the car continued in the wrong lane, Duane pulled up next to it and saw a woman slumped over the wheel with a dazed look. He honked his horn to try and get her attention, but she still didn't move. Duane saw a busy intersection fast approaching, so he drove past the woman's car and parked his truck on the side of the road. As the woman's car finally came to a stop, he approached the woman's car, asked her to put it in park and removed the key from the ignition. After the police took Duane's statement and thanked him, he continued his route.

Two weeks later, Duane was making a delivery and noticed the woman's car in the driveway of a home on his route. A young man answered the door and Duane inquired about the woman after introducing himself. She had passed away one week after the incident, having suffered a stroke while driving. As Duane was walking back to his truck, the woman's husband came running out and gave him a hug for his actions, which allowed the family five more days with their wife and mother.

Mark Rolen, Collinsville, Illinois

Courier Rescues Man From Drowning in Illinois

While making a delivery, Courier Mark Rolen heard a woman yelling for help. She frantically explained there was a man drowning in a nearby pond. The man had been riding his mower along a steep bank when it rolled into the pond, pinning his leg under the steering wheel. The man was able to brace his arm and just barely push his face up. With the help of another man, Mark pulled the man to safety. The ambulance arrived and Mark finished his route. According to his manager, 'Mark is a true hero.' His decisive actions certainly prevented a possible catastrophe that day.

David Smith, Norwich, Connecticut

Team Member Helps Rescue Driver From Submerged Vehicle

A hydroplaning truck flipped and landed in a nearby marsh right before Shuttle Driver Dave Smith's eyes. Concerned for the driver of the overturned vehicle, Dave moved his truck to the side of the road and waded into the marsh. The truck was upside down and the driver's head was under water. With a surge of adrenaline, Dave was able to lift the truck high enough to prevent the driver from drowning. At the same time, he tried to rip the driver's seatbelt off. Eventually other bystanders got involved and were able to cut the seatbelt to free the driver. After the ambulance arrived, Dave returned to the station with just some minor cuts. His strong actions saved the driver from drowning.

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Going the Extra Mile for our Customers

Jerin Burmeister, Sioux Falls, South Dakota

South Dakota Team Member Drives 300 Miles To Assist Customer

FedEx Freight Operations Supervisor Jerin Burmeister of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, received a telephone call from a customer located in Huron, South Dakota. The customer's freight arrived late into the FedEx center and would not make the delivery cut-off time for the day. The customer pleaded for delivery or his entire operation would shut down without the product.

Jerin was determined to deliver the six boxes of product to ensure the customer would not have to cease operations. That very day, Jerin left his loved ones, drove to pick up the freight, and delivered the product to the customer - a trip of nearly 300 miles. Jerin not only delivered the customer's packages, but he delivered the Purple Promise.

Jose Miguel Gonzalez, Madrid, Spain

Team Member Goes Above and Beyond to Ensure a Smooth Grand Opening for Italian Customer

When an urgent shipment was delayed in Madrid, Spain, the FedEx Express Operations Team needed to ensure that this urgent package was delivered to Italy for a store's grand opening the following day.

Operations Team Leader Jose Miguel Gonzalez stepped in and volunteered to catch a flight and personally deliver the shipment. He departed Madrid at 7 p.m., arriving safely in Italy at 9 p.m. and headed straight to downtown Milan to meet with store security. Upon arrival, he explained the urgency of the delivery. The store was very grateful and worked through the night to be ready for the big day. Thanks to Miguel's desire to deliver, the store was able to hold its grand opening day as planned.

Steve Hillman, San Diego, California

California Team Member Helps Deliver Gift for Military Service Member

On Dec. 17, a couple ordered a Christmas gift for their son who was home for the holidays, on leave from the military. The seller assured the customers that the gift would be delivered just in time for Christmas. With the son being redeployed on Dec. 26, timeliness of the delivery was important. Regardless of the seller's promise, the package, going from California to Maryland, was not shipped until Dec. 23. When the parents learned the gift would not be delivered until Dec. 26, they were frantic. They reached out to FedEx Ground to ask for help. Senior Manager Steve Hillman of San Diego, California, worked with fellow team members, local FedEx counterparts, vendors and a commercial airline to ensure the gift would arrive on Christmas day. In a thank-you note, the father informed Steve that his actions made this Christmas one of the best ever.

Brian Hudnall, Ladson, South Carolina

Team Member Helps Paralyzed Customer in South Carolina

FedEx Freight City Driver Brian Hudnall of Ladson, South Carolina, was scheduled to deliver a furniture shipment purchased online by a customer. When Brian arrived at the home, he discovered the only person at home had recently been paralyzed in a car accident. On his own time, he returned to the customer's home and helped setup the furniture - graciously declining any compensation the family offered. Brian's actions were not only a positive reflection on himself, but on FedEx as a whole.

Kevin Oldaker, Uniontown, Ohio

Operations Supervisor Acts to Help Customer Address Service & Security Needs

FedEx Custom Critical Operations Supervisor Kevin Oldaker recognized a customer's need for a Custom Critical presence at their New Jersey distribution center to address security and service concerns.

Without hesitation, Kevin hopped in his car and made the 450-mile drive from Uniontown, Ohio to New Jersey. There he spent an entire week working third-shift hours to scan parcels, load trucks, and ultimately put the customer at ease. Kevin graciously put his personal life on hold in order to put the customer first, the definition of delivering the Purple Promise.

Leonard Castro, New Braunfels, Texas

Texas Manager Delivers Christmas Surprise for Customer's Daughter

Manager Leonard Castro provided swift and extraordinary service to a distressed customer this past Christmas. A delivered envelope slipped between boards in the customer's porch, which contained a Christmas surprise for the customer's daughter. Having no one else to ask for help, the customer called FedEx. Leonard picked up a flashlight and power drill from the mechanic bay, went to the customer's home, removed the board, and retrieved the package. The customer was overjoyed, and thanks to Leonard's efforts, the Christmas gift made it on time. His swift and extraordinary act of service provided a special Christmas memory.

Ron Fales, Anchorage, Alaska

Alaskan Team Member Comes to the Rescue for Summer Celebration

A shipment of live crawfish for a 4th of July event in Kenai, Alaska was delayed in Anchorage on July 3rd, and due to the July 4th holiday no flights were scheduled. Senior Service Agent Ron Fales didn't let that slow down this important shipment. He jumped into his personal vehicle and drove 170 miles to deliver it on July 4th. The customer went from being extremely disappointed in thinking he would not get his crawfish in time for the event, to being overwhelmed at Ron's willingness to go above and beyond to make sure the package arrived in time for the July 4 BBQ. Ron went hundreds of miles out of his way to ensure our customer was satisfied, and the Purple Promise is alive and well in Alaska.

Jonathan Fernando, British Columbia, Canada

Canadian Team Member Makes Delivery Happen for Terminally Ill Child

Senior Customer Service Representative Jonathan Fernando's Christmas spirit was evident this past December, as he was determined to deliver a Christmas gift to a terminally ill child. The child had studied Karate for five years prior to his diagnosis, and the gift was an irreplaceable 15th century Muramasa Tanto sword. A search of the Express System had turned up nothing. Jonathan conducted his own search in Overgoods; focusing on markings and descriptions provided by the shipper. He found it. For the package to arrive by Christmas, it would need to fly 450km on a passenger airline. Jonathan volunteered to fly with the package and deliver it in person. Jonathan kept in constant contact with the recipient throughout the process. The recipient was so overwhelmed by his efforts to ensure the gift arrived on time; he contacted local media to cover the arrival because he wanted to make sure everyone knew the lengths Jonathan had gone to in order to deliver the Christmas gift. Jonathan was met at the airport by the recipient and local media, and delivered the package in time for Christmas!

Jerry Negrete, Los Angeles, California

Team Member Delivers Alaskan Dog Race Archway in the Nick of Time

A major management consultation company shipped a large inflatable arch to place at the finish line at a prestigious Alaskan dog race. The customer mislabeled the package and the arch was sent to California. It was re-routed; however, the package ended up in the Los Angeles Overgoods department and was presumed lost. By the time it was located, there wasn't a driver available to take it to LAX for the Anchorage flight. Senior Trace Representative Jerry Negrete volunteered to drive the arch to the airport. He even had the presence of mind to bring a couple passengers along so he could use the carpool lane, which enabled him to make it with 10 minutes to spare. The arch was in place to celebrate the finish of the race. Jerry saved the company's affiliation with the race and made the customer's experience truly outstanding.

Gary Ramsey, Montgomery, Alabama

Chad Cooper and Stephen Borklund, Irondale, Alabama

Alabama Team Members Work Together to Deliver Piece of Selma March

In March, managers Gary Ramsey, Chad Cooper and Stephen Borklund helped make history in Selma, Alabama. President Barack Obama and former President George W. Bush commemorated the 50th anniversary of the historic Edmund Pettus Bridge march by Dr. Martin Luther King, in which he and other civil rights leaders walked together on a day that became a turning point in the civil rights movement. The event was scheduled for Saturday morning. As in 1965, Hawaii sent leis for the participants to wear; unfortunately, ice and snowstorms across the country delayed the flowers. Friday afternoon the shipments were located in Texas and Birmingham. Flights were arranged to get the shipment from Texas to the Montgomery Airport on Saturday morning. Gary, who had been working with other operating companies all night in planning the logistics and delivery arrangements, personally met the aircraft. Chad and Stephen drove the package personally to Montgomery. As Stephen drove, Chad arranged a meeting location and clearance with FedEx governmental affairs personnel. Cleared by the secret service for delivery, they were met with cheers from the Congressional group as they arrived moments before the event began.

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Helping Communities After Natural Disasters

Troy Doster, Ukiah, California

Ukiah service provider donates hay to feed animals displaced by California valley fires

Due to the valley fire that has devastated the towns of Middletown, Cobb and Hidden Valley Lake in California, hundreds of people have lost their homes and thousands have been forced to evacuate. Several of the people in this area own farm animals and have been forced to figure out where to safely keep these animals until they are able to return home. Several farms in the area have offered to keep these animals on their property, without charge, until the owners figure out what to do.

Given the increase of animals, the farms simply do not have enough food. Hearing about this, on Thursday Sept. 17, WTD Delivery Inc., helped donate three flatbeds of hay to a local farm in Kelseyville, California that has been taking in horses and other animals since the evacuations started. WTD Delivery Inc.'s owner, Troy Doster, and his family own several farm animals so this is near and dear to their hearts; WTD Delivery Inc. plans to deliver three more flatbeds of hay to the same farm in the near future.

Jian-Sheng Gu, Yantai, China

Yantai Team Member Delivers in Typhoon-Affected Areas

After typhoon Matmo in China, the roads around Senior Service Representative Jian-Sheng's delivery area were flooded, leaving most vehicles broken down and drivers standing knee-deep in water. Despite the circumstances, Jian-Sheng was determined to complete his deliveries. He parked the vehicle on higher ground, over half a mile away from the customers' location. Once the packages were properly protected against the elements, Jian-Sheng gathered the 33 pounds of packages over his shoulder and began his 30-minute walk in a flooded area to complete the day's deliveries. The customers were surprised and impressed that the delivered packages had managed to remain dry, even though Jian-Sheng himself was soaked. In spite of the poor weather conditions, Jian-Sheng managed to deliver eight packages, pick up 23 packages and keep his customers happy.

Michael Ridge, Charleston, South Carolina

South Carolina Driver Delivers Packages and More to Flood-Affected Areas

'I'm just doing my job,' is how Michael Ridge, driver for Conex LLC out of Charleston, South Carolina, puts it. To many in the flood-ravaged area, he's doing a lot more.

With 34 employees and more than 30 delivery vans, Conex LLC delivers FedEx Ground packages to customers in Dorchester, Berkeley and Charleston County every day. That was a tough task in much of the service area in which Michael delivers after it was hit hard by the Hurricane Joaquin-fueled rains in early October. Michael did what he could to deliver every FedEx Ground package on his truck, even if homes and neighborhoods were impassable or inaccessible. He called the recipient, inquired with neighbors, stopped people near the home to ask if they knew where the person was staying. Sometimes he waded through water to get a delivery to a person on his route.

'I couldn't imagine being in that position,' he said.

Neither Michael nor anyone in his family had homes that were flooded. However, his church, Seacoast Church in Summerville, was mobilizing volunteers to gather food, water and clothing to help those affected. Michael helped on his days off, and he even took vacation days to transport items for those in need.

As the waters recede, community members are beginning to assess the damage. Michael and his church are also helping people repair parts of their homes that have been ravaged by the storm.

Just the other day, while delivering packages, Michael spotted some local police officers and community members standing by the receding waters. Michael knew the officers had been working hard to help communities like his, and he knew the people talking to the officers had probably been affected by the storms in some way. So he swung by a pizza place and delivered them some pizzas.

Just another example of Conex LLC and Michael delivering much more than packages every day.

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