Rescued by Neighbor: Norwood Woman Survives 5-Day Ordeal-This Day In Norwood History-July 9, 1979

A harrowing five-day ordeal came to a merciful end this past Friday when an observant neighbor rescued 65-year-old Louise K. Sustavige from her Alandale Parkway home. Jim Rossetsky, a 22-year-old resident of 8 Alandale Parkway, grew concerned after noticing that his friend and neighbor’s mail and newspapers had begun to accumulate on her steps. Acting on what he described as “some instinct,” Rossetsky knocked on the door and, upon hearing faint moans from within, proceeded to the rear entrance. Finding the door locked, he forced his way inside, where he discovered the elderly widow lying on her bedroom floor, injured and in a weakened state.

Mrs. Sustavige had been trapped since the previous Monday, when she suffered a dizzy spell and fell while attempting to get out of bed. She had landed face-down on a heating duct, which unfortunately served to muffle her cries for help for five days. Adding to the severity of the situation, the house remained at a steady 70 degrees; during the unseasonably cold nights of that week, the heating system repeatedly cycled on, blowing hot air directly onto the injured woman, contributing to her severe dehydration. Rossetsky, who serves as an orderly at Norwood Hospital, recognized the critical nature of her injuries and wisely chose not to move her. Finding no telephone in the house, he immediately rushed to a neighbor’s home to summon an ambulance.

Last night, hospital officials reported that Mrs. Sustavige is in fair condition. Reflecting on the rescue, Rossetsky noted that when he visited his friend in the hospital, she expressed her profound gratitude, telling him, “I’ll repay you for saving my life.” The bond between the two has been built over several years, with Rossetsky frequently assisting his neighbor with household chores and errands. A graduate of Norwood High School, Rossetsky is a respected member of the Alandale neighborhood, serving as a town meeting member, a student at Quincy Junior College, and a Scoutmaster for Troop No. 42. Neighbors have described him as a compassionate individual who possesses a genuine affinity for the elderly. “I hate nursing homes,” Rossetsky remarked. “I like to see the elderly in their own homes and able to manage.” As his friend recovers, Rossetsky expressed his heartfelt wish for her continued independence: “It would make me sad if she cannot come back and manage by herself.”

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger