It was in February — when Kentucky and much of the country were blanketed in snow, ice and frigid temperatures — that brothers in different states joined forces to save the day for a nursing home in Louisville.
“My team was unloading a plane when my brother texted about a critical healthcare package (CHC) coming from Tennessee,” said Thomas “Anderson” Rushing, a Next Day Air ramp supervisor.
Older brother William “Preston” Rushing is a UPS sales operations supervisor in Nashville.
“We solve shipping problems for customers,” Preston said. “And when I learned that this CHC package heading from Knoxville to Louisville could miss service, I knew we had to do something.”
Working with Worldport management, the two brothers located the flight and secured the package. Anderson personally delivered the medication later that morning.
“The customer was so surprised to see someone in a normal car pull up on a Saturday morning,” he said. “It was just the right thing to do.”
Meanwhile, 34-year UPS veteran John Rushing was asleep.
“I learned about it when Anderson told me the next day,” said their dad, who is the Ohio Valley District managing director of sales in Louisville. “They were doing all this while their ‘old man’ was in bed.”
While proud, John said he wasn’t surprised. Going the extra mile for a customer and delivering what matters runs in the family.
“Every package is important. Customers ship Next Day Air because it is important,” he said.
John recalled a peak season a few years ago at the Louisville Centennial Hub when he and two other UPSers loaded packages into his SUV and went about delivering to customers on Christmas Eve.
“We learned customer service from our dad. The ownership he took in his job trickled down,” said Preston.
Added John: “They will always go above and beyond for anyone, whether it’s for a customer, another UPSer or each other. They take care of those around them. I’m so proud and I want everyone to know it.”