When Air Force Veteran Gil Petrosino didn’t return from his daily walk in Lake Elsinore, CA, his wife Sherry feared the worst. As she searched the town, she spotted a crowd — and to her relief, Gil, in his 80s, was at the center, flanked by a police car and the town’s mayor, Natasha Johnson.
Mayor Johnson, a former Navy Federal branch manager and current member of the credit union’s branch marketing team, recognized Gil from his frequent visits. Sensing something was wrong, she stopped to help. Gil was disoriented and couldn’t recall his name or address. Natasha comforted him, contacted the police, and reached out to Navy Federal colleagues for support. After a moment of clarity, Gil remembered key details, allowing Natasha to locate his home and reunite him with Sherry.
Natasha’s care didn’t end there — she later sent Gil personalized dog tags and a silver ID bracelet to help keep him safe. Sherry, a member since 2012, expressed deep gratitude: “I know he’s safer now as he enters this new chapter of life.” Gil Petrosino
This story was submitted by Allison Stevens, Senior Corporate Communications Strategist IV, Navy Federal Credit Union.
