Pocono News Section

Postal Workers Honored for Going Above-and-Beyond Call of Duty

Postal Workers Honored for Going Above-and-Beyond Call of Duty - Thursday, May 20, 2010 at 04:12AM EST

Reported by: Eric Deabill
Thursday May 20 2010
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SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY - It was a day to honor real life heroes in Lackawanna County.

Postal carriers from across the region were recognized for going above-and-beyond the call of duty Thursday morning. Seven carriers were honored for their heroic acts.

"I'm not a hero," Joseph Clark said. "The paramedics, the first responders, the police officers that put their lives on the line, they're heroes. I'm just a normal guy who stopped."

Meet Joe Clark. He saved a 19-year-old girl after she was bitten by a venomous copperhead snake last year. Cassandra Villano still has the scars from the bite. She says Clark saw her collapse outside her parent's home and he sucked the venom from the bite.

"I was amazed," Villano said. "Discovering he did such a thing for me. I just didn't know how to react."

Like many of the others honored Thursday, Clark is humble. He just says he was in the right place at the right time.

"I don't know what just -- it came -- I didn't know what else to do. She was in a lot of trouble," Clark said.

"I believe if it wasn't for him being there, I wouldn't be alive today," Villano said.

Clark has been delivering mail for 16 years. He says he watched Villano grow up.

Clark's wife Linda said she wasn't surprised by what her husband did.

"He really should have gone to the hospital to be checked and he didn't. He just finished delivering his mail and came home," Linda Clark said.

Joseph Clark was delivering mail in Pittston Township when he took action last year.

Some of the other postal carriers honored Thursday helped out at fire scenes or helped people who fell on ice.