Unmasking Our Healthcare Heroes
Gregarious and fun-loving, John Paulman has never met a stranger – only friends in waiting.
The van driver for The Patriot instantly connects with residents as he’s transporting them to medical appointments, brightening their day with his banter.
“We have fun. We talk. We laugh,” said Paulman, a tall man topped by an ever-present baseball cap. “When you’re one-on-one in a van, you can talk to them all you want when you’re traveling.”
Paulman has been a driver at The Patriot for almost 5 years, following a 43-year career in the automotive industry. He spent the previous 20 years at Kenny Ross in Somerset.
The Meyersdale resident is just as comfortable on the baseball and softball diamonds, umpiring PIAA softball and Little League baseball. He’s also an accomplished bowler, having rolled a 300 game during the state mixed doubles championship a few years back.
“I have fun,” Paulman said. “If I don’t have fun, I’ll turn in my badge right now ‘cause I ain’t working.”
Paulman and his wife, Dorothy, an LPN starting her 49th year at Meyersdale Medical Center, have a son and a daughter.
Tiffany Uphold, The Patriot’s new Activities Director, immediately noticed Paulman’s effusive personality. “He’s easy to talk to,” Uphold said. “He feels like someone you’ve known all of your life.”
Thank you John, for your compassion and dedication!