A bike ride in Arizona turned into a rescue when 14-year-old Royal Cothrun spotted an elderly woman in distress and stopped to help.

Royal was riding in Gilbert, Arizona, in June when he noticed a woman who “didn’t seem right.” Temperatures had climbed well above 100 degrees, and she appeared confused and overheated.

“I don’t even know, she just looked like something was wrong, so I started talking to her,” Royal recalled.

The woman was Teresa Morgan, who had recently been diagnosed with dementia. After a trip to a nearby grocery store, she became disoriented and wandered miles from home.

Royal said he quickly realised she needed help.

“I knew it was hot. She was sweating,” he said.

He stayed with Teresa, guided her into the shade, and talked with her until she was able to remember her son Jeff’s phone number.

Jeff Morgan rushed to the scene and arrived just before the Gilbert Fire Department.

“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.”

Firefighters also praised Royal’s actions.

“The outcome could have been, would have been much, much worse had he not done what he did,” one firefighter said.

Royal will be honoured by the Gilbert Fire Department and the Air National Guard for what the family called life-saving help.

To Teresa Morgan’s family, Royal Cothrun is already a hero.

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