Iowa teens rescue elderly woman after 16-hour ordeal

Two Iowa teenagers are being hailed as local heroes after they helped an elderly woman who had been lying injured in her yard for over 16 hours. The incident occurred on the morning of June 9 in the small town of Fruitland, in Muscatine County.

The rescue was first reported by local station KWQC. Teenager Gunner Skidmore said he had started his day as usual, eating a Pop-Tart and scrolling social media, when his best friend Kohen Chick asked him if he wanted to ride bikes.

Boys spot something amiss on bike ride

Skidmore and Chick, both 13, headed out to a local trail that ran past some houses when they noticed something unusual. "I went to the trail and Kohen was like, 'You see that lady back there?'" Skidmore recalled while speaking to the outlet. "Then, we went back and looked, and it took a little while to find her."

They eventually located a woman who appeared to have fallen on her property. "I said, 'Hey ma'am, are you okay?' She was like, 'Yeah, I need help. Call 911,'" Skidmore said.

Mother calls emergency services

The teens initially weren't sure what to do, but Skidmore said he contacted his mother, who quickly arrived and called emergency services. "She showed up pretty fast and then my mom called 911," Skidmore said. "[The elderly woman] didn't have her phone or water or anything. She was there for like 16-plus hours."

According to the boys, the woman told them she had been outside since approximately 5 p.m. the previous evening.

Woman 'scared' and covered in bugs

Chick described the woman's condition when they found her. "She was scared," he said while speaking to the outlet. "You could just tell because like her face, she was covered in all these bugs and stuff."

The teens believe the woman fell while feeding her horse. They said she told them she had rolled from her backyard to the front yard in an effort to get help.

Timing may have been critical

The boys believe the timing of their bike ride may have been critical to the woman's survival. "A few more hours and she definitely like wouldn't have made it," Skidmore said.

The woman was transported by ambulance to a hospital in nearby Muscatine for treatment, according to KWQC.

Family helps care for woman's horse

Skidmore's mother told the outlet that she has remained in contact with the woman's family and has helped care for her horse while she recovers. She also plans to prepare a lasagna for the woman when she returns home.

Teens honoured with special award

A spokesperson for the Muscatine County Sheriff's Office told PEOPLE that the teens were presented with a special award by the county's Emergency Management Director, Christopher Jasper, on June 15.

"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," Jasper said during the award ceremony, according to an excerpt of the speech obtained by PEOPLE.

"Without the prompt actions of Gunner and Kohen, the outcome could have been tragic. Their awareness, compassion, and willingness to help a person in need undoubtedly made a difference and may very well have saved her life," Jasper added.