Colette Willing has been a mail carrier in Keokuk for 10 years. She has been described by many as a human being that always goes above and beyond. She is also known as someone that just does the right thing because that’s the kind of person she is. She is very humble and doesn’t like to brag on herself, hence why so many members of the community contacted me regarding this.
While keeping the name of the lady she helped confidential, Willing speaks as to what happened.
Willing was out and about doing her regular mail delivery.
“On Wednesday, Oct. 14, I noticed that there was a paper in her mail box from the day before. I just thought to myself, well, she forgot to get the mail. This lady gets her mail every day. Then, on Thursday the 15th, I got to her house and the mail was still in her box. I then knew something wasn’t right. I contacted a neighbor and asked if they had seen her lately. The neighbor said they had not seen her and her trash wasn’t out. That is when I knew something wasn’t right and someone needed to check on her. A welfare check was called in and the police showed up and they could see her through the window but she wasn’t moving. They gained entry to her house and she was alive. The police then got her medical attention. The neighbor was told by the police that she wouldn’t have made it another 8-10 hours,” she said.
In a world that sometimes feels like it’s being overrun with negativity, this was a really good, happy, positive ending. It’s amazing the kind of positivity we can make if we all watch out for each other and care for and love each other, human to human. What a great example Willing is in our community.
Willing says, “I only did what I would hope someone would do for my loved one.”
