UPS driver rescues injured Oak Harbor resident, highlights community safety gaps
A local UPS driver found 92 year old Henry Kennedy after a severe fall in his Oak Harbor home on October 16, helping until paramedics arrived and ensuring his dog was comforted. The episode underscores the informal frontline role delivery workers play for vulnerable residents, and raises questions about emergency preparedness and community support in Island County.
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On October 16, 92 year old Henry Kennedy suffered a serious fall in his Oak Harbor home, fracturing his skull, two bones in his arm and multiple toes. Kennedy faded in and out of consciousness for nearly four hours and feared he might die before a passing delivery driver stopped to help. Blake King, a UPS driver who arrived about an hour early on his route, heard Kennedy yelling for help, followed his directions to a hidden key and gained entry. King called family members, placed the phone so Kennedy could speak to them, stayed with him until paramedics arrived and wrapped Kennedy’s Chihuahua in a blanket to calm the dog.
Paramedics transported Kennedy first to Island Health Hospital in Anacortes and then to Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle. He is now at Bellevue Post Acute Care and faces a long recovery. Kennedy’s daughter wrote to UPS leadership praising King’s “attentiveness, courage and humanity.” King responded humbly, saying he did what anyone would do. The account was reported by the Whidbey News Times on November 11, 2025.
The incident highlights several practical and policy questions for Island County residents and officials. Delivery drivers, postal workers and utility personnel routinely enter neighborhoods and homes, placing them in a position to observe medical emergencies or signs of distress. This episode illustrates how those workers can become de facto first responders, providing immediate assistance well before formal emergency medical services arrive. For seniors living alone, the presence of a regular delivery schedule can be a critical safety net.
Local emergency responders and policymakers may wish to review how community information is shared with delivery firms and how welfare checks are coordinated. Families can reduce risk by ensuring that emergency contact information and access instructions are readily available, and by enrolling vulnerable residents in local check in programs offered by county human services or senior centers. For the county, the case is a reminder to assess how transportation to regional hospitals is managed, and whether additional outreach or support for homebound seniors is needed.
Beyond institutional implications, the rescue resonates with Island County civic life. It underscores the value of neighbor awareness and the importance of recognizing frontline workers who perform small acts that can be life saving. As Kennedy begins a lengthy recovery, his family’s letter to UPS leadership shows that individual actions can have deep community impact, and that local systems can benefit from recognizing and supporting informal lines of care.
