For decades, the United States Postal Service has unofficially used the motto “Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds.” Of course, in extreme weather, mail carriers have to use their best judgment to stay safe. The mail can wait a day or two. On December 1, the St. Louis area experienced a fast-moving, dangerous snowstorm. The streets very quickly became covered in powder, and USPS mail carrier Deanna Chatman had a decision to make. She told KSDK USPS told carriers they did not have to go out in the storm, but something told her to deliver the mail anyway. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Genell Reynolds (@genellwiththegoodnews) While on Her Route, Deanna Chatman Saw Something Peculiar Deanna Chatham told KSDK she was driving in a Maryland Heights neighborhood when an elderly woman flagged her down. “I stopped and asked, ‘Do you need help?'” Deanna said. The 96-year-old woman, who wished to remain anonymous, did need help. “She must have slipped on her driveway because she didn’t have any shoes on,” Deanna said. “She just had on some pants and a shirt. No socks or anything.” The woman’s granddaughter said she’d tried to put outgoing mail outside when she slipped. She’d been in the garage for hours yelling for help, but no one heard her. “She heard people, but they couldn’t hear her, until Ms. Chatman came to drop off mail and heard her and ran into the garage,” the granddaughter said. Something told Deanna to deliver the mail that day, and in six years working for USPS, she said she’s never experienced anything like that. “I’m blessed that I got a chance to save someone’s life,” she told KSDK. The woman’s granddaughter wants her to know just how much she means to the family. “It probably happens more than we know, but the mail people are helping people all the time. Like she did this and probably went on with her day. …She didn’t think anything of it.” Deanna’s bravery caught the attention of the USPS. “Deanna’s actions made a real difference that day, and we couldn’t be more proud of her conduct and dedication,” the USPS Strategic Communications Specialist Tara Jarrett told KSDK. “We are excited for her to receive her Postmaster General Award, which recognizes exceptional heroism that reflects positively on the USPS.” This story’s featured image can be found here.