Barrett, of Queensbury, said he never travels that road, but an accident blocked the normal way to TrustCo Bank, and Garrison Road was the closest street to get there. He said he hasn’t been back down it since.

His mother, Susan, who was driving, said her tires squealed as the car came to a halt.

“He yelled ‘stop’ and I stopped,” she said, referring to Richichi. “If I had been an inch more, the tree would have been right on top of us.”

She said she embraced Richichi and told him, “You just saved my life.”

Glens Falls Postmaster Dan Cronin on Thursday said he was proud of what Richichi did.

“It was really quite heroic,” he said. “He’s quite modest and doesn’t take a lot of credit.

“I’m not so sure everyone would have done what he did.”

Richichi, told about his boss’ comments, laughed when he heard the word “heroic” used to describe his act.

“All I thought was, if that thing is going to fall, someone is going to get hit. I just knew I had to stop that car because this was going to happen,” he said. “But that’s nice to hear.”