Community Hospital: A Mailman and Friend
in the Operating Room
It was back in the early ‘90s when Whit Wheeler
was having arthroscopic surgery on his knees. Just
as he went under anesthesia, he heard a male nurse
say, “Hi Whit! I’m Ron. Do you recognize
me? I’ve delivered your mail.” Then he
heard another voice that said, “Hi Whit! I’m
Marjory and my son goes to your wife’s school.”
“I was laying on that table in a
foggy haze and I remember smiling and thinking,
now that’s the essence of a small town community
hospital,” Whit said. “I just felt so
comfortable knowing I was in these people’s
hands because I felt like they knew me and my family
and would take good care of me.”
Whit, who owns the local Mailrite Incorporated, has
lived in the area since 1978. He and his family have
been using Brattleboro Memorial Hospital since then.
Their relationship with the hospital began in ’78,
with the birth of his oldest daughter. Since then,
the family has made several visits for things from
surgeries and a broken ankle to regular tests and
check-ups.
Whit has said it is experiences like this at BMH
that made him and his wife decide to become donors.
“We’re very committed to giving
to BMH because we see it as a community asset. Our
children are grown now and we’re both in our
60s and figure we’ll be calling on this hospital’s
services somehow in our futures. We also know the
doctors here and feel they are very competent. We
know we will be in good hands. We see this place
(BMH) as a mainstay of the community.”
