Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, October 27, 1993                   TAG: 9310270195
SECTION: NATL/INTL                    PAGE: A-1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: MICHAEL STOWE STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RINER                                LENGTH: Medium

MAILMAN SHY ABOUT HIS HEROISM

Ronald Moses wasn't reluctant about rescuing three people - including a 9-month-old baby - from a flipped vehicle Tuesday, but he sure was bashful talking about it.

"I'd rather not discuss it because I just get so nervous. . . . I couldn't even sleep last night," said the U.S. Postal Service worker.

Moses was working his daily delivery route on Piney Woods Road in rural Montgomery County about 1 p.m. when he saw a red car sitting on its roof with gas pouring from the tank.

Inside the vehicle - nearly unconscious - were Anita Matney; her infant son, Brady; and Dwayne Hale, a friend of Matney's.

The mail carrier pulled Matney and Hale out of the vehicle and then crawled inside to remove Brady from his child-safety seat.

"I was real proud of Ron for doing that," said Charles Turner, Moses' supervisor.

All three were treated at a hospital and released.

"We were just so grateful," said Glenda Morris, Matney's mother. "That road's not well traveled at that time of day, if he hadn't come along . . ."

State Trooper Steve Fijalkowski said the vehicle swerved left on the gravel road, struck an embankment and then a tree before flipping.

Morris said her daughter can't remember much, but thinks a deer ran in front of the car.

By the time Fijalkowski reached the accident scene, Moses had resumed his mail route.

"When I got there, they were hauling everyone away," the trooper said.

Fijalkowski said Moses - known to the people on his route as "Mo" - should be considered a hero because the car easily could have caught on fire.

"Anytime you have gas pouring out of the vehicle, that's a real possibility," he said.

Wanda Gardner, also a rural postal carrier, said she wasn't surprised by Moses' shyness.

"That's just like him," she said. "He would do anything for anyone, but he just doesn't want to talk about it."