Mail Carrier Delivers Help To Injured Senior With Help Of Wireless Phone

PORTLAND, ME — When Auburn mail carrier Lesli Weiner found Norma Luce, she had been sitting on a broken hip in the rain for more than three hours. With one call to 911 from her wireless phone, Weiner summoned rescue personnel who arrived within 10 minutes.

As she has done every day for years, Luce walked her dog Misty on the remote dirt road leading to her house near Auburn, Maine. But when she slipped on the wet leaves, there was no one within miles to hear her calls for help. Weiner found Luce wet and shivering, with only her dog to console her, as she neared the end of her 40-mile mail route. Weiner ran back to her truck, called for help and stayed with Luce until the ambulance arrived.

"When I found her, she was so thankful, but concerned mostly about her dog. I sat there talking to her and rubbing her back until help arrived. Then I made sure the dog made it back to the house," said Weiner.

Luce has made a complete recovery, and after briefly staying with her daughter, is now back in her house with Misty. Soon after the accident, Weiner found a card in the mailbox addressed to her from Luce and her daughter. In it, they called Weiner a lifesaver, an angel sent from above. "I was in the right place, with the right equipment," said Weiner. "I'm just glad I found her when I did."

Having delivered the mail for 20 years, Weiner only recently considered buying a wireless phone. "My husband and I discussed getting one, since I travel to some pretty remote areas everyday," said Weiner. She said the phone, along with a safety blanket, is now standard equipment in her truck.

To recognize her compassionate response, Verizon Wireless has announced it will honor Weiner as part of Wireless Safety Week, May 21-28. Weiner will receive a $100.00 service credit from the company.

According to the Cellular Telecommunications and Internet Association (CTIA), it is estimated that 120,000 wireless 9-1-1 emergency calls are made daily across the country. That translates to one emergency call every 1.4 seconds.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless is the largest wireless communications provider in the U.S. with more than 27 million wireless voice and data customers. The coast-to-coast wireless provider was formed by the combination of the U.S. wireless businesses of Verizon Communications (NYSE:VZ) and Vodafone (NYSE and LSE: VOD), including Bell Atlantic Mobile, AirTouch Cellular, GTE Wireless and PrimeCo Personal Communications. Verizon Wireless has a footprint covering more than 90 percent of the U.S. population, 49 of the top 50 and 96 of the top 100 U.S. markets. The company, headquartered in Bedminster, NJ, is 40,000 employees strong. Reporters and editors can find more information about the company on the Web at http://www.verizonwireless.com.

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