In addition to providing nourishing food to homebound seniors, Meals on Wheels’ volunteers perform safety checks.

A crucial part of Meals on Wheels is the security of knowing someone is checking on your loved one when you can’t. Sometimes that certain someone might just save a life.

Wil is a Spectrum Meals on Wheels volunteer in Livermore. A semi-retired professional and father of three teenagers, he loves the friendships he’s developed with the seniors in his community through volunteering. Last week, Wil was delivering meals to homebound seniors on his regular Monday route. Meal in hand, he strode up to the apartment of Virginia, an elderly homebound widow, who receives meals 5 days a week. He knocked on Virginia’s door but didn’t hear an answer. Wil tried calling but the line was busy.

Sometimes the seniors sleep late or take a long time coming to the door so Wil delivered the rest of the meals at the senior living apartment complex and then circled back to Virginia’s apartment. When he still couldn’t get an answer at her door he dialed her daughter, Lisa. Lisa didn’t know why her mother wasn’t answering and became immediately concerned. Her mother is homebound and there was no reason for her not to have come to the door by now. Just then, Wil thought he could hear Virginia calling out from inside.

He immediately ran to the apartment manager’s office and they opened her door using a master key. Inside, Wil discovered Virginia prone on the floor, with her phone knocked off the cradle. He called 911. As the emergency personnel worked with Virginia, Wil and Spectrum Meals on Wheels’ staff stayed on the phone with Lisa and her family.

Virginia had had a small heart attack and had been lying on floor of her apartment for six hours. Virginia is now receiving care in the hospital, surrounded by her family. Lisa and Virginia have reached out Wil and the rest of the Spectrum Meals on Wheels’ team to express their deepest thanks.

Meals on Wheels is more than just a meal.