"He is my angel," Barbara Hoare said of Matt Crawford, who came across Mrs Hoare lying bleeding in Uxbridge Rd while making his deliveries on Thursday.
Mrs Hoare said she fell and hit her head as she was carrying her groceries into her house about lunchtime.
"I almost knew I was going to fall because I was carrying the groceries at a difficult angle."
Mr Crawford, who works for New Zealand Post, was making deliveries when he saw Mrs Hoare lying on the ground.
"I’d finished my deliveries in her street but realised I had forgotten one, so turned and went back up."
Mrs Hoare was lying on the footpath with blood coming from her head.
"There was a lot of blood, so I took my jacket off and wrapped it around her head.
"I ended up soaking two of my jackets."
After moving her into the recovery position, Mr Crawford called an ambulance, but there was a 30-minute wait.
"I just kept talking to her because I knew it wouldn’t be good if she stopped talking.
"I took a first aid course earlier this year, but I’d never had to use it before that day."
Upon finding she lived nearby, he and three neighbours helped her inside and waited until an ambulance arrived.
Mr Crawford held a damp cloth to her head and insisted on staying with her.
"I just did what I hope everyone would do in that situation."
The pair caught up yesterday and had a lovely time, a very appreciative Mrs Hoare said.
"I do think I’ve made a friend for life. He’s the kindest young man."
