Texas postal carrier and Marine Corps veteran Alvin Gauthier recently went far beyond his duties to ensure that a family was reunited with World War II-era letters sent by their loved one in the Army. Recognizing their significance, he drove 379 miles on his day off to hand-deliver the letters to the recipient in Arkansas.
The letters, dated from 1942 to 1945, were addressed to "Mr. and Mrs. Henry Lamb" of Jacksonville, Arkansas. With the help of a local news station, Gauthier tracked down Jo Ann Smith, whose late brother Marion Lamb had written the letters to their parents.
Using his own money for gas and lodging, the mail carrier of nearly 20 years, embarked on his longest delivery yet, a five-hour drive from the Dallas-Fort Worth area to Jacksonville, Arkansas. Smith was deeply moved by the gesture and grateful for the connection to her family. She thanked Gauthier for his extraordinary effort in reuniting her with these precious mementos of her brother's sacrifices.
Source: PEOPLE