A 14-year-old Arizona boy is being recognized for his actions after finding an elderly woman with dementia wandering alone in extreme heat and staying with her until help arrived.
Royal Cothrun was riding his bicycle through Gilbert in June when he noticed Teresa Morgan, 75, who appeared confused, distressed, and struggling in temperatures that reached more than 100 degrees.
Officials and the woman’s family said his actions may have prevented a potentially life-threatening situation.
Cothrun said he noticed that something was wrong when he saw Morgan alone.
“She just looked like something was wrong, so I started talking to her,” he said. “I knew it was hot. She was sweating.”
Morgan, who had recently been diagnosed with dementia, had become disoriented after leaving a grocery store and wandered several miles from her home before Cothrun found her.
After approaching Morgan, Cothrun moved her into a shaded area to help protect her from the heat.
He was able to help her remember her son Jeff Morgan’s phone number and contacted him to explain what had happened.
Jeff Morgan quickly traveled to the location and arrived shortly before the Gilbert Fire Department responded. He said Cothrun’s actions were more than just helpful and may have saved his mother’s life.
“It’s incredible, really, what he did,” Jeff Morgan said. “Just so lucky, so fortunate, that he ran across her and he cared enough to stay with her and to take care of her.”
Morgan said his mother’s condition and the extreme temperatures created a dangerous situation that could have ended much differently if Cothrun had not stopped, Local 12 reported.
Cothrun’s mother said she was proud of her son but was not surprised by his response.
She described him as calm and compassionate, saying helping others has always been part of his character.
A firefighter who responded to the scene also praised the teenager’s actions, saying the outcome “could have been, would have been, much, much worse” without his intervention.
The rescue occurred as Arizona continues to face significant risks from extreme heat.
Health officials have warned that high temperatures can quickly lead to dehydration, confusion, and heat-related emergencies, especially among vulnerable populations such as older adults.
State data has shown thousands of heat-related emergency room visits occur each year, with excessive heat contributing to thousands of deaths in Arizona over the past decade, according to The Sheffield Press.
The situation also highlights concerns surrounding dementia-related wandering, a behavior that can place individuals with cognitive impairments in dangerous situations.
Arizona officials have taken steps to increase oversight of memory-care facilities, including requiring certain facilities to report resident elopements to the state health department within a set timeframe.
Cothrun’s actions have earned recognition from the Gilbert Fire Department and the Air National Guard, which plan to honor him for his response.
The teenager was also wearing recording sunglasses during his bike ride that captured parts of the encounter, documenting the moment he stopped to assist Morgan, ABC 15 reported.
For Morgan’s family, the recognition represents the impact of a teenager who noticed someone in need and chose to act.
As Arizona faces continued challenges from extreme heat, officials and residents say Cothrun’s actions demonstrate the importance of awareness and compassion when someone appears to be in danger.
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