State employee honored for helping injured man

A licensing manager with the Missouri Gaming Commission has been recognized as the State Employee of the Month for June.

David Kessel, who has worked with the commission in Jefferson City for 18 years, was nominated for his efforts to help someone who had fallen while crossing a street in January.

Kessel was returning to his office from lunch when he notices an elderly gentleman lying in the street, according to the nominating letter from Kessel's supervisor, Deputy Director Tim McGrail. He stopped and found the man was bleeding from his arms, hands and knees. The man was wearing only a T-shirt and pants, and the temperature that day was in the mid-20s. The man was not sure how long he had been lying in the street.

Kessel helped the man walk back to his residence and offered to call 911, but the man said he would be OK once he got home. Kessel went back to the man's home later in the day, and the man was feeling much better.

"David could have easily ignored the elderly man lying on the ground and went back to work, but he didn't hesitate to get involved and offer help on a cold and blustery day," McGrail wrote.

After learning of Kessel's encounter, McGrail went to the man's home and found the man had bandages on his hands and arms. He also had several bruises on his arms.

"He expressed true appreciation for David's assistance," McGrail wrote. "He said several vehicles drove by and he waved and yelled from the ground, but no one stopped until David arrived. He explained he had gone out to pick up a trash can that had blown over, but the wind knocked him to the ground.

"It would have certainly been easier for David to continue on his way, as other drivers had done, but David's willingness to offer a stranger help and his modesty toward his actions demonstrates the Missouri Gaming Commission core values of service, integrity and professionalism," McGrail concluded.