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Miami Postal Worker Drowned In Storm Drain

DORAL (CBSMiami) – – A postal worker died in a strange accident early Tuesday morning at the Postal Service processing center in Doral.

According to witnesses, 70-year old Shelby Wing was in the parking lot at the Main Processing and Distribution Center, located at 2200 NW 72nd Avenue, just after midnight when he dropped his cell phone into a storm drain.

In an effort to retrieve it, Wing reportedly lifted the grate off the drain opening and reached for his phone. That's when he fell head first into the water and drowned, according to police.

Police suspect Wing may have drowned, but are waiting for the Medical Examiner's report before listing an official cause of death.

"He was a lovable person, he was always a happy person," said Wing's widow Kang Chang Wing. Wing told CBS4's Peter D'Oench that she lost the love of her life. "We were never separated. We were like 2 kids. We were always together."

Wing said she and her husband had been married for the last 28 years.

Shelby Wing, who celebrated a birthday two days ago, had worked as a mail sorter at the processing facility.

"He was a hard worker and he always got along very well with the people at the post office," said Wing. "He was very much dedicated to the post office. It made him happy. It made him very happy."

Wing said her husband had planned to retire in early January after 28 years with the Postal Service, but his managers had asked if he could stay on a little longer.

Monday would have been his last night on the job.

"We were thinking of going to Georgia to spend some time there after he retired," said Wing.

"Managers describe Shelby Wing as a very hard working individual who had an excellent work ethic, he always had a smile and a kind word for everyone," said a statement released by the Postal Service. "He always went above and beyond in his work (and) he will be missed personally and professionally."

Wing's grandson Ricky Munne said his grandfather will be missed.

"He had a fantastic spirit. He never said 'no' to anyone. He always went out of his way to help, anybody," said Munne. "He was the greatest family man anybody could ask for."

In addition to working for the Postal Service, Wing also ran a Chinese restaurant in Miami with his wife for the past 28 years.

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