Teens Praised After Finding Injured Neighbor Stuck Outside For 16 Hours

Jun 23, 2026 by apost team

A simple bike ride in Fruitland, Iowa, turned into a lifesaving act when two 13-year-old boys noticed an elderly woman lying injured in a yard and chose not to ignore what they saw.

According to local reporting from KWQC, Gunner Skidmore and Kohen Chick were riding near a local trail on June 9, 2026, when they spotted something unusual near a home. After turning back to check, they found a woman lying in her yard who was frightened, hurt, and unable to get up on her own.

Skidmore called out to her to ask whether she was okay. She told the boys she needed help and asked them to call 911.

“I went to the trail and Kohen was like, ‘You see that lady back there?’ I was like, ‘No.’ Then, we went back and looked, and it took a little while to find her, and we found her. I said ‘Hey ma’am are you OK?’ She was like ‘Yeah, I need help. Call 911,’” Skidmore recalled.

Unsure how to handle the situation alone, Skidmore called his mother, who arrived quickly and contacted emergency services.

The woman reportedly had no phone, no water, and had been outside since 5pm the day before for more than 16 hours. The teens believed she may have fallen while feeding her horse, then rolled from the backyard toward the front of the property in hopes of being found.

Emergency responders took the woman to a hospital in Muscatine for treatment. The boys were later honored with the Muscatine County Emergency Management “Lifesaving Award,” according to the Wilton-Durant Advocate News.

What makes this story so powerful is not only the rescue, but the choice two young people made in a quiet moment. Skidmore and Chick could have continued their ride. Instead, they listened, looked closer, and acted.

Kohen described the woman as visibly afraid and covered with bugs after being outside through the night. Gunner later said:

“A few more hours and she definitely like wouldn't have made it.”

Their decision to stop helped connect her with medical care when she could not reach help herself.

Chris Jasper, director of Muscatine County Emergency Management/911, recognized the boys during a Muscatine County Board of Supervisors meeting on June 15, 2026. In remarks shared by PEOPLE, Jasper said:

“Today, I would like to recognize the extraordinary actions of two young men whose quick thinking and compassion helped save a life in Muscatine County.”

The incident also points to a serious risk for older adults. The CDC reports that more than 14 million adults aged 65 and older, or about one in four, report falling each year. Falls can become especially dangerous when a person is alone, far from a phone, or exposed to heat, cold, dehydration, or injury for a long period.

Skidmore’s mother also stayed connected with the woman’s family and helped care for the woman’s horse while she recovered, according to local coverage. That small detail adds another layer to the story: kindness did not end when the ambulance arrived.

Sometimes heroism looks like noticing what others might miss. In Fruitland, two boys on bikes proved that compassion, quick thinking, and the courage to stop can make all the difference.

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Small acts of awareness can change someone’s life. Gunner and Kohen showed that heroes can be any age. Who in your community deserves recognition for helping others? Would you stop if something in your neighborhood looked wrong? Let us know, and then pass this story along to remind others that paying attention matters!