…Who Had Wandered Miles from Her Home in 103-Degree Weather
Erin Clack
- An Arizona teen, 14-year-old Royal Cuthrun, is being praised for coming to the aid of an elderly woman with dementia
- He stopped to help the woman, who had wandered miles from her home in extreme heat
- “Royal’s quick thinking and compassion not only protected a vulnerable member of our community, but also highlighted the real dangers posed by Arizona’s extreme heat,” the local fire chief said
An Arizona teen is being hailed for his “quick thinking and compassion” after he came to the aid of an elderly woman in distress.
Royal Cuthrun, 14, was riding his bike in the town of Gilbert last month when he spotted 75-year-old Theresa Morgan walking alone with a shopping bag and a purse. The teen recorded the encounter on his smart glasses. In the footage, shared by ABC 15, he can be seen stopping to talk to her and telling her, “I don’t think there’s any apartments around here, I can tell you that.”
“She just looked like something was wrong,” Royal later recalled while speaking with the outlet. “I knew it was hot. She was sweating.”
At the time, the temperature in Gilbert had reached a dangerous 103 degrees.
Royal said Morgan appeared confused and distressed. He eventually guided her into the shade and was able to get the woman to remember her son Jeff’s phone number. The teen waited with Morgan until Jeff arrived. Shortly after, members of Gilbert Fire and Rescue responded to the scene.
Morgan had recently been diagnosed with dementia, Jeff told ABC 15. She had gone to the grocery store and become disoriented on her way home.
Jeff said he believes Royal saved his mother’s life.
“It’s incredible, really, what he did,” he 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.”