A teenage boy noticed something was wrong with an elderly stranger struggling in the summer heat and his quick thinking may have saved her life.
A 14 year old boy named Royal Catherine was riding his bike in Gilbert Arizona back in June when he came across a woman who looked lost and confused. Temperatures were above 100 degrees that day and this woman had no idea where she was.
Royal said “I don’t even know. She just looked like something was wrong. So I started talking to her.”
The woman was Teresa Morgan who had recently been diagnosed with dementia. She had gone to a nearby grocery store and somehow ended up wandering miles away from her own home.
Instead of continuing on his ride, Royal chose to stay. He noticed she was overheating and got her to shade right away. “I knew it was hot. She was sweating,” he recalled.
He then worked to calm her down and helped her remember important details, including her son Jeff’s phone number. “Maybe we can try to call him on my phone,” Royal offered.
Jeff arrived within minutes, before Gilbert Fire Department even reached the scene. He later said Royal’s actions were not just kind but life-saving. “Just so lucky, so fortunate that he ran across her and he cared enough to stay with her and to take care of her,” Jeff said.
Royal’s mother was not surprised at all by her son’s actions. She said this is simply who he has always been. “Super proud. Obviously he was calm. He was compassionate” she said.
Royal will soon be honored by the Gilbert Fire Department and the Air National Guard for his actions that day.
We believe it’s not luck, but God placed the right person at the right place, at the right time to help that poor grandma. This story reminds us of the Good Samaritan in the Bible.
Many people had walked right past that injured traveler on the road, but one person chose to stop and care. Let us be the ones who choose to notice others in need and step up to help.
The Bible tells us in Hebrews 13:16, “And do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” It may cost your precious time or resources, but do it as if you are serving God Himself rather than helping a stranger.
Let us keep Teresa in our prayers as she continues her battle with dementia, and let us also pray that God gives parents the wisdom to raise their children to be kind, loving, and good examples for the body of Christ.
WATCH: Teen Hero Saves Grandma with Dementia Wandering Alone in Dangerous Heat
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