“Anyone would have done the same” says hero mail carrier

It was an everyday action that could have ended in tragedy if it wasn’t for the intervention of Fairland, IN Rural Carrier Michael Short.

Brian Booth heard a noise coming from the exhaust of his Dodge Caravan, so he got his car jack and slid under the vehicle. Suddenly, the jack fell on its side, rocked and caught him pinning him under the van.

“It was hard to even breathe,” he said. “With the pain, the more I moved, the more it hurt. I controlled my breathing. I knew how to do that as I am a firefighter (Indianapolis Airport) and my military training (Air Force) kicked in.”

Booth was realistic about his chances of survival. Because they lived at a dead end, there were only two chances that someone would come by — the rural carrier on his rounds and the school bus bringing his young son home. “I didn’t think I could survive that long,” he said.

“While I was under the vehicle I thought mostly about my wife and kids, but also life insurance. I did a lot of prayers with a couple of swear words.”

Timing is Everything

As it turned out, the mail delivery came early that day. “Luckily, I didn’t have a heavy day of mail and was able to get there earlier than usual,” said mail carrier Michael Short. “I heard him, but thought it was someone calling for mail. I came back and saw him pinned under the vehicle and called 911.

Short retrieved a car jack from his vehicle and was attempting to raise the minivan when help arrived. “Once we got him relief he was still conscious, but then went into shock. He was wedged underneath with half of his body under the axel on the ground.”

Kesha Booth was very shocked when she saw her husband at the hospital. After being examined by doctors, Booth discovered he had broken all of his ribs on the left side of his body, lacerated his spleen, and bruised his lung – resulting in 400 stitches. The doctors also had to make an incision down his back.

On the mend, Booth thanked Short for saving his life. “I am so glad you were there,” he said. Short doesn’t regard himself as a hero. “Anyone would have done the same,” he said.

Recently, Greater Indiana District Manager Larry Diegel and Acting Manager of Post Office Operations Robin Looney came to Fairland to recognize Short as one of the PMG Hero Award recipients.