Stillwater mail carrier called hero

(Stillwater-AP) -- A Stillwater mail carrier is being praised for helping save an elderly customer on his route.<br><br>Rich Hibbs is receiving a US Postal Service Award for coming to the rescue of 90-year-old

Thursday, February 26th 2004, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Stillwater-AP) -- A Stillwater mail carrier is being praised for helping save an elderly customer on his route.

Rich Hibbs is receiving a US Postal Service Award for coming to the rescue of 90-year-old Ladislaus Fila, who had fallen in his home.

Hibbs noticed in December that Fila's was mail piling up and neighbors said they hadn't seen him. Hibbs says he knocked on Fila's door and thought he heard groaning, so he called police.

Officers found Fila lying on the kitchen floor. Fila was hospitalized for dehydration and is now recovering.

Hibbs had intended to go home early that day to care for his sick wife, but she insisted he finish his route. He found Fila about an hour later.