A 14-year-old boy from Gilbert, Arizona, is being praised for his quick thinking and compassion after helping an elderly woman with dementia who became disoriented while walking in extreme heat.
Royal Cothrun was riding his bicycle through his neighbourhood when he spotted 75-year-old Theresa Morgan walking alone in temperatures of about 103°F (39°C). Carrying a grocery bag and her handbag, Morgan appeared confused and visibly distressed.
"I don't even know, she just looked like something was wrong, so I started talking to her," Cothrun told ABC News.
Morgan, who was diagnosed with dementia last year, had become lost while trying to walk home from a grocery store.
Realising she was sweating heavily, Cothrun persuaded her to move into the shade before helping her recall her son's phone number. He then contacted her family for assistance.
Morgan's son, Jeff, described the teenager's actions as lifesaving.
"It was just so lucky, so fortunate, that he ran across her, cared enough to stay with her, and take care of her," he told ABC News.
Paramedics later arrived to assess Morgan for possible heat exhaustion and ensured she received medical attention.
The entire incident was recorded on Cothrun's Meta smart glasses.
His mother said she was immensely proud of her son's response.
"I'm super proud. He stayed calm, he was compassionate," she said.
Gilbert Fire Department Captain Ryan McHugh said the outcome could have been far more serious had Cothrun not stopped to help.
The teenager's actions have since been widely praised as an example of the importance of looking out for vulnerable members of the community, particularly during periods of extreme heat.