'Can't do that, boss' FedEx driver says no to helping fallen 89-year-old man

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Monday, July 20, 2020
FedEx driver declines to help an elderly man who fell on his porch
Ring doorbell video showed the exchange between the two as a delivery was being made. The man laid there another 10 minutes before his daughter arrived.

FREEPORT, Texas (KTRK) -- The family of a Freeport man is outraged after a FedEx driver was captured on video on Saturday refusing to help after the man fell outside his front door.

A Ring doorbell camera recorded the exchange between the 89-year-old man and the employee.

"Hello, help please," the man could be heard saying. "Give me a hand. I need to get up."

"I can't do that, boss," the driver said from a distance.

The 89-year-old man had fallen approximately 15 minutes before the delivery was made, according to his daughter, Maria Kouches.

"(He) didn't at least ring the doorbell or call 911!" Kouches wrote in a Facebook post that had been shared more than 480 times by Sunday afternoon. "Thank God he's OK, but what if he hadn't been?"

Kouches said her father, who has dementia and trouble with his legs, has fallen before. He laid on the floor for another 10 minutes before she arrived.

"We try to keep an eye on him but he does still move around with his walker," Kouches said. "It seems he was maybe trying to go back inside and his leg gave out. He gets confused and easily upset with new things."

FedEx issued the following response:

"We extend our thoughts and concerns for the well-being of the person depicted in this video. The safety of our team members and customers in the communities that we serve is our highest priority. We are reviewing the circumstances behind this incident and will take the appropriate action."

Additionally, ABC13 asked FedEx about its employee policy on keeping staff safe from COVID-19 and what changes have been made since the pandemic.

"FedEx Ground continues to handle peak-like package volume as we provide essential services to our customers and communities during this pandemic. We are hiring team members across the country to help us continue to power commerce during this time of need. The safety of our team members, service providers, vendors and customers is of the utmost importance and we are closely monitoring and adhering to guidance by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other public health organizations regarding recommended precautions. Throughout FedEx Ground facilities, we have implemented a number of protective measures to help maintain a clean and safe workplace, such as symptom screening and requiring team members to wear face coverings, when entering FedEx property and while working in situations where social distancing is difficult to maintain."

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