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Mail Carrier Who Helped Fallen Neighbor Returns for Second Thanksgiving — Proposes to His Longtime Girlfriend at the Family Table

01:15 PM, 11/30/2025
Mail Carrier Who Helped Fallen Neighbor Returns for Second Thanksgiving — Proposes to His Longtime Girlfriend at the Family Table

The Millers of Aurora, Illinois, invited substitute USPS carrier Jaylen Lockhart to their Thanksgiving dinner for a second consecutive year after he helped 75-year-old Guy Miller following a fall in November 2024. Lockhart rushed back on his route to assist, alerted neighbors and helped get Guy the care he needed. At this year's gathering on Nov. 27, Lockhart proposed to his high-school sweetheart, Sydney Rehm, and she said yes. He now considers the Millers family and plans to include them in future celebrations.

An Aurora, Illinois family welcomed a very special guest to their Thanksgiving table for the second year in a row: 27-year-old USPS substitute carrier Jaylen Lockhart, who came to the aid of 75-year-old Guy Miller after a fall while walking his dog in November 2024.

Lockhart spotted Guy losing his balance while on his route. "I was on my mail route, looking at my rearview mirror, and I saw that Guy was losing his balance," Lockhart recalled. "He eventually did fall and took his tumble." He said he made a U-turn, rushed back to help and found "a lot of blood everywhere," so he alerted neighbors and gathered basic information from Guy before going to the Millers' home to get additional help.

Guy, who has diabetes, remembered struggling to stand until Lockhart arrived. When Marcia Miller opened the door and their daughter — a nurse — checked him, they determined Guy did not appear to have a concussion and were relieved that he would be okay. The family later tracked down Lockhart to thank him and invited him to their Thanksgiving dinner in 2024; they hosted him again on Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025.

This year's celebration became even more joyful when Lockhart proposed to his high-school sweetheart, Sydney Rehm, during the gathering. He knelt before her, presented a ring and she accepted. "They had the champagne bottles waiting," Lockhart said of the warm welcome. "They greeted us with a great smile. And so it was something that was very embraced and loved."

Lockhart and Rehm have been together for nearly a decade and share a 2-year-old daughter, Lennyn. Reflecting on his fiancée, Lockhart said, "Sydney embodies what the Thanksgiving spirit is all about — being thankful and giving. She's given me the greatest gift ever: love." Rehm called the engagement one of the happiest days of her life and said their shared experiences have strengthened their bond.

Lockhart said he now considers the Millers family and admires Guy as "a role model," praising him as a devoted husband, father and mentor. He plans to invite the Millers to his wedding as a way of returning their kindness.

Key takeaway: A chance act of kindness on a mail route turned into a lasting friendship — and a Thanksgiving engagement that brought two families even closer.

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